381 
H  5 


-NRLF 


B   M   173   SEE 


SMALL    FRUITS 


WILLIAM  H.  HILLS 


SMALL   FRUITS: 


Their  Propagation  and  Cultivation,  Including 
the  Grape. 


CONTAINING  PRACTICAL  DIRECTIONS  FOR  THE  SELECTION  OF  SOIL  AND  ITS 
PREPARATION;  THE  USE  OF  MANURES  AND   FERTILIZERS;  CROSSING, 
HYBRIDIZING,  AND  GROWING   NEW   VARIETIES   FROM    SEED: 
TRANSPLANTING,  PRUNING,  AND  TRAINING;  GATHER- 
ING, PACKING,  AND  MARKETING  FRUIT;  DE- 
SCRIPTION OF  VARIETIES,  THEIR  ORI- 
GIN, DISEASES,   AND    INSECT 

ENEMIES. 


Ellustratfti  fottfj  Numerous 


BY 

WILLIAM    H.    HILLS, 

PRACTICAL    HORTICULTURIST,    PLAISTOW,    N.H. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

LIBRARY 

COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 
DAVIS 


BOSTON  : 
CUPPLES,    UPHAM   &   CO., 

AGRICULTURAL   PUBLISHERS. 
1886. 


COPYRIGHT,  1886, 
BY  W.    H.    HILLS. 


A II  rights  reserved. 


PREFACE. 


1  have  been  induced  to  present  in  the  following  pages  practical 
directions  for  the  propagation  and  cultivation  of  small  fruits,  partly 
because  a  few  friends,  to  whose  judgment  I  have  been  accustomed  to 
defer,  advised  it ;  partly  to  answer  the  numerous  questions  that  are 
being  constantly  addressed  to  me  orally  and  by  letter  ;  and  partly 
because  I  hoped  thereby  to  encourage  the  more  general  dissemina- 
tion and  use  of  fruits. 

There  are  many  merchants,  mechanics,  professional  men,  and  men 
of  leisure,  owners  of  small  tracts  of  land  in  the  country  or  suburban 
villages,  who  are  anxious  to  learn  something  of  the  best  varieties, 
and  the  different  methods  of  growing  them  in  the  private  garden.  It 
has  been  my  aim  to  furnish  a  hand-book  containing  just  the  kind  of 
information  required  by  this  class,  and  also  for  more  extensive  culti- 
vators in  the  field. 

No  attempt  has  been  made  to  dress  the  subject  in  fine  language 
and  well  rounded  periods,  or  to  do  more  than  to  give  the  best  prac- 
tical directions  in  the  most  compact  form,  thus  bringing  the  work 
within  the  means  of  all  who  may  wish  to  cultivate  fruits  for  their  own 
tables  with  their  own  hands.  Whoever  wishes  to  grow  fruits  for  the 
market  will  not  fail  to  consult  the  works  of  such  men  as  Downing, 
Barry,  Fuller,  and  Roe,  each  of  which  should  have  a  place  in  the  libra- 
ry of  every  one  making  any  pretensions  to  horticultural  knowledge. 
Some  of  the  more  elaborate  works,  however,  embrace  matter  of  little 
or  no  interest  to  the  novice,  while  others  are  too  expensive  for  gen- 
eral circulation. 

This  brief  treatise  will  be  found  to  contain  all  that  is  essential  to 
success  at  trifling  cost,  but  is  not  intended  to  supersede  the  labor  of 
others.  Most  of  the  so-called  "Guides"  and  "  Instructors"  are  little 
more  than  advertising  catalogues,  in  which  new  varieties  are  puffed, 


and  old  standard  sorts  decried  or  totally  neglected.  Believing  that 
all  varieties  of  merit  should  be  retained,  I  have  endeavored  to  avoid 
fulsome  praise  of  the  new,  on  the  one  hand,  and  undue  detraction  of 
the  old,  on  the  other.  Both  the  faults  and  excellences  of  varieties 
have  been  frankly  stated,  hoping  that  disappointments  and  needless 
expense  on  the  part  of  the  beginner  may  thereby  be  avoided. 

The  collection  of  information  as  to  the  origin  of  varieties  has  caused 
me  no  small  amount  of  labor.  Due  credit  has  been  given  to  those  by 
whose  skill  and  care  superior  new  fruits  have  been  produced.  If  I 
have  occasionally  hit  a  humbug,  no  apology  will  be  made  for  the 
offence. 

The  book  is  mainly  the  result  of  not  large  but  long  personal  expe- 
rience and  observation,  to  which  is  added  information  drawn  from 
some  of  the  most  reliable  and  intelligent  horticulturists  in  the  coun- 
try. It  has  been  written  in  odd  moments,  and  will  be  found  neither 
perfect  nor  complete. 

About  one  third  of  the  volume  is  devoted  to  grape  culture,  a  sub- 
ject not  usually  embraced  in  works  treating  of  small  fruits.  A  few 
copies  of  the  essay  on  grapes  were  originally  printed  in  pamphlet 
form,  and  received  the  commendation  of  President  Wilder,  Charles 
Downing,  and  other  eminent  horticulturists.  That  essay  has  been 
revised  and  enlarged,  so  as  to  adapt  it  to  the  present  state  of  knowl- 
edge. I  trust  it  may  be  found  of  some  value. 

If  those  who  may  take  the  trouble  to  read  what  has  been  here  pre- 
sented shall  find  therein  the  information  they  are  seeking,  the  writer 
will  feel  amply  rewarded  for  the  labor  its  preparation  has  cost. 

WILLIAM  H.  HILLS. 

Plaistow,  N.  H.,  May  19, 1885. 


SMALL  FRUITS: 

THEIR  PROPAGATION  AND  CULTIVATION. 


As  the  practices  and  opinions  of  fruit-growers  differ  so  widely, 
anything  that  may  be  written  on  the  subject  is  likely  to  be 
severely  criticised,  and  the  criticisms  in  many  instances  will 
undoubtedly  be  just  and  pertinent.  My  aim  will  be  simply  to 
make  the  process  of  growing  small  fruits,  both  for  the  market 
and  family  use,  so  plain  and  practical  that  the  novice  will  need 
no  other  guide. 

I  shall  not  occupy  the  limited  space  allotted  me  with  direc- 
tions for  cultivating  the  barberry  or  the  huckleberry,  but  confine 
myself  mainly  to  those  species  and  varieties  usually  found 
under  cultivation.  I  shall  make  no  attempt  to  write  up  the  his- 
tory of  our  small  fruits,  regarding  it  of  no  importance  whether 
Plin}T,  Virgil,  or  Ovid  spent  their  leisure  hours  in  the  berry 
"  patch,"  or  even  knew  anything  at  all  about  the  best  varieties. 

I  began  the  cultivation  of  the  strawberry  more  than  thirty 
years  ago,  at  a  time  when  the  Hovey's  Seedling,  Boston  Pine, 
Hooker,  Virginia  Scarlet,  and  Cutter's  Seedling  were  the  lead- 
ing varieties,  all  of  which,  except  the  Hovey,  have  disappeared 
from  the  lists  of  varieties  cultivated  or  named.  In  size,  beauty, 
productiveness,  and  quality,  some  of  these  were  at  that  time 
thought  wonderful ;  and  though  most  of  them  are  not  now  to 
be  named  in  comparison  with  the  best  sorts  of  to-day,  yet  they 
were  so  much  superior  to  the  wild  berries  gathered  in  boyhood, 
that  they  made  an  impression  upon  the  mind  never  to  be  effaced. 
Since  that  time  I  have  never  lost  my  interest  in  this  and  the 
other  small  fruits,  but  have  had  under  cultivation  at  times  some 


8 

fifty  varieties,  adding  new  and  rejecting  old  sorts  from  year  to 
year,  so  that  many  of  the  candidates  for  popular  favor  have 
been  fairly  tested. 

A    NEW    DEPARTURE. 

A  new  departure  was  made  in  1806,  by  one  Michael  Keen,  a 
celebrated  English  gardener,  who  introduced  the  tk  Imperial," 
which  he  grew  from  seed,  and  subsequently,  from  seed  of  the 
Imperial,  what  was  long  known  as  "Keen's  Seedling."  This 
was  a  wonderful  fruit  for  the  time,  being  large,  productive,  and 
of  good  flavor  and  habit  of  growth  ;  but  it  did  not  succeed  in 
this  country,  and  was  soon  supplanted  by  more  hardy  sorts. 
The  London  Horticultural  Society,  in  1821,  had  executed  a  col- 
ored plate  of  this  strawberry  (not  a  very  rare  thing  now),  indi- 
cating its  high  appreciation  of  its  merits. 

The  success  of  Keen  excited  scores  of  others  to  attempt  the 
growing  of  better  varieties  from  seeds,  and  from  that  time  to 
the  present,  seedlings  have  been  numerous.  Little  was  done  in 
this  country,  except  in  imitation  of  English  practices,  till  about 
1834,  when  Mr.  C.  M.  Hovey  produced  and  introduced  what  has 
since  been  known  as  "  Hovey's  Seedling,"  a  fruit  hardly  sur- 
passed by  the  best  varieties  of  the  present  time. 

Little  or  nothing  was  generally  known  in  this  country,  at  the 
time  when  the  Hovey  appeared,  relative  to  the  sexuality  of  the 
strawberry.  The  wild  plants  were  all  perfect  flowering,  or  stam- 
inate,  and  the  effect  of  cultivation  in  producing  pistillate  varie- 
ties had  attracted  but  little  notice.  Mr.  Longworth,  of  Ohio, 
was  among  the  first  to  take  a  decided  stand  on  this  question, 
and  the  war  on  the  subject  was  long,  if  not  bloody.  Mr.  Long- 
worth  made  a  standing  offer — if  history  is  not  at  fault — of  one 
hundred  dollars,  to  any  one  who  would  produce  a  perfect  berry 
from  a  pistillate  plant,  unless  the  same  was  fertilized  by  a  stam- 
inate  variety.  No  claim  was  ever  made  for  the  money,  and 
the  correctness  of  his  position  is  now  generally  conceded  by  all 
intelligent  pomologists. 

The  great  success  attending  the  production  of  seedling  straw- 
berries has  incited  those  engaged  in  the  business  to  try  and  im- 
prove other  small  fruits  by  similar  methods,  and  \\ith  almost 
equally  favorable  results.  This  has  been  accomplished  by  sow- 


iDg  and  resowing  seeds  of  the  best  varieties  under  cultivation, 
by  transplanting  to  the  garden  plants  of  the  choicest  wild  ber- 
ries, and  by  crossing  and  hybridizing,  a  process  that  will  be 
hereafter  described. 

The  result  is,  that  we  now  have  raspberries,  blackberries, 
grapes,  and  currants,  nearly  equal  in  size  and  quality  to  the 
finest  foreign  sorts,  and  greatly  surpassing  them  in  hardiness 
and  general  adaptation  to  our  climate.  The  progress  made 
seems  more  rapid  every  year,  as  the  methods  are  better  under- 
stood, and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  ideal  berry  will  soon  be 
produced. 

SMALL    FRUITS    NEGLECTED. 

It  would  seem  that  no  owner  or  lessee  of  land  for  a  term  of 
years  would  omit  to  plant  out  on  his  place  a  variety  of  small 
fruits,  sufficiently  abundant  to  supply  his  family  during  their 
entire  season.  There  should  always  be  a  surplus  for  the  liberal 
entertainment  of  friends, — always  numerous  in  the  berry  sea- 
son,— and  for  preserving  in  various  ways  for  winter  use.  The 
first  cost  of  plants  would  be  but  a  trifle, — no  more  than  a  meer- 
schaum pipe,  a  box  of  cigars,  or  a  gallon  of  whiskey, — and 
they  are  so  rapidly  propagated  that  the  sale  of  surplus  plants 
may  be  made  a  source  of  some  income. 

When  urging  farmers  to  plant  out  small  fruits,  we  are  fre- 
quently told  that  there  is  an  abundance  of  wild  berries  in  the 
neighboring  fields  and  pastures,  to  be  had  for  the  mere  picking. 
Now,  while  there  may  be  wild  berries  of  an  inferior  quality  in 
some  localities,  it  is  more  often  the  case  that  the  supply  is  lim- 
ited to  one  or  two  kinds,  and  these  are  only  attainable  by  mak- 
ing rambling  journeys  over  brush  and  brake.  There  is  nothing 
like  a  continuous  supply  during  the  small  fruit  season. 

It  is  often  claimed  that  wild  fruits — strawberries  and  the  like — 
are  superior  in  flavor  to  cultivated  varieties.  This  is  a  great 
mistake,  arising  in  part  from  lack  of  familiarity  with  the  best 
cultivated  sorts,  and  in  part  from  an  uncultivated  taste.  I  have 
seen  persons  who  preferred  the  flavor  of  the  wild,  foxy  grapes 
of  the  swamps  to  that  of  the  best  foreign  variety  grown  under 
glass. 

The  wild  strawberry  is  not  usually  picked  as  soon  as  colored, 
as  frequently  occurs  in  case  of  those  under  cultivation,  but 


10 

remains  on  the  vines  till  perfect!}7  ripe,  and  in  its  best  condition. 
But  the  average  wild  strawberry  will  be  found  as  poor  in  quality 
as  it  is  inferior  in  size  and  appearance.  Place  the  two  on  the 
fruit-stand  or  table,  side  by  side,  and  no  one  would  hesitate 
in  making  a  selection.  We  now  have  plenty  of  varieties  su- 
perior in  all  respects  to  any  obtainable  without  cultivation- 
More  fruit,  of  larger  size,  superior  flavor,  and  of  almost  any 
variety,  can  be  grown  on  five  square  rods,  rightly  managed, 
than  can  be  found  wild  on  any  farm  of  ordinary  size  in  the 
country.  A  few  rods  devoted  to  this  purpose  will  afford  health, 
satisfaction,  and  pleasure,  and  by  enlarging  the  area  from  time 
to  time,  as  experience  is  acquired,  ma}7,  in  many  localities,  be- 
come a  source  of  profit.  Special  knowledge  and  skill  will  be 
useful  in  this  business,  as  in  any  other,  but  the  degree  of  skill 
and  knowledge  required  is  no  greater  than  for  the  successful 
treatment  of  any  farm  crop. 

Who  ever  saw  a  wild  strawberry  that  would  equal  in  size  the 
smallest  variety  now  under  cultivation?  Just  take  a  ramble 
over  fields  and  pastures,  where  you  formerly  gathered  the  ber- 
ries now  remembered  with  so  much  pleasure,  gathering  and 
testing  the  best  fruit  to  be  found,  and  it  will  prove  to  be  almost 
uniformly  small,  sour  or  insipid,  arid  worthless.  Who  ever 
thinks  of  eating  wild  strawberries,  that  has  the  improved  varie- 
ties under  cultivation?  Children,  even,  will  hardly  stop  to  pick 
such  fruit,  if  growing  directly  in  their  path.  The  wild  berries 
are  as  abundant  in  their  season  as  formerly,  yet  they  are  never 
seen  in  market,  and,  if  offered  for  sale,  would  be  rejected  at 
once.  Occasionally  one  has  been  found  better  than  the  rest, 
and  transferred  to  the  garden,  like  Cutter's  Seedling,  and  dis- 
seminated more  or  less  widely,  but  I  know  of  no  variety  now 
under  cultivation  that  originated  in  that  way.  Yet,  as  birds 
are  scattering  the  seeds  of  the  best  sorts  far  and  near  every 
year,  the  discovery  of  valuable  seedlings  in  uncultivated  locali- 
ties would  be  no  surprise,  and  the  wide-awake  fruit-grower  is 
always  on  the  lookout  for  all  such  chance  seedlings. 

TO    THE    NOVICE. 

To  the  inquiry,  often  made,  us  to  where  to  locate  in  the  small 
fruit  business,  I  would  say  in  answer,  as  near  to  the  people  us 


11 

possible.  Your  success  will  depend  largely  upon  the  distance 
you  are  from  market.  Small  fruits  cannot  be  grown  profitably 
ten  miles  from  the  consumer,  except  on  the  line  of  some  rail- 
road, in  which  case  a  distance  of  twenty  or  thirty  miles  will 
make  a  difference  of  only  an  hour  or  two  in  time. 

There  are  numerous  villages,  large  and  small,  furnishing  good 
opportunities  to  those  near  by  for  doing  a  safe  and  profitable 
business  in  growing  fruits.  In  the  vicinity  of  summer  resorts, 
fresh  fruits  net  a  higher  price  than  can  be  realized  from  com- 
mission men  in  large  cities,  where  competition  is  sharp.  If 
marketed  by  the  grower,  there  is  no  expense  for  freight,  or  per 
cent,  to  be  deducted  by  the  middle-man.  The  large  manufac- 
turing towns  afford  good  markets.  Mechanics,  factory  opera- 
tives, and  shop-girls  spend  their  money  freely  when  the  times 
are  brisk,  and  the  boarding-houses  consume  fruits  in  large  quan- 
tities. Get  as  near  to  such  a  town  or  village  as  yon  can.  If 
within  a  mile,  you  will  have  a  great  advantage  over  one  five 
miles  away.  You  can  watch  the  market,  and  rush  your  berries 
when  there  is  a  demand,  and  hold  them  back  when  there  is  a 
glut. 

There  are  always  many  visitors  from  the  cities  to  near-by 
fruit-farms,  persons  who  like  to  take  their  fruits  fresh  and  fra- 
grant from  the  vines,  even  at  an  extra  price,  rather  than  stale 
from  the  huckster's  stall.  The  man  engaged  in  growing  small 
fruits  must  not  only  cultivate  his  berries,  but  also  his  business, 
by  selling  only  the  best,  honestly  and  tastefully  put  up.  In  this 
way  he  will  soon  acquire  a  reputation,  and  secure  the  patronage 
of  a  desirable  class  of  customers. 

But  the  beginner  should  enter  upon  the  business  expecting  to 
meet  with  many  discouragements,  such  as  hard  winters,  late 
spring  frosts,  drouths,  destructive  insects,  overstocked  mar- 
kets and  consequent  low  prices.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind, 
however,  that  others  will  meet  with  like  discouragements  and 
quit  the  business,  leaving  the  coast  clear  for  those  who  are  more 
persistent.  If  the  beginner  consults  his  own  interest,  and  grows 
only  the  best  varieties  in  the  best  way,  and  puts  his  fruit  upon 
the  market  in  the  most  attractive  form,  he  is  sure  to  succeed. 
Of  such  fruit  there  is  never  an  over-supply. 


12 


SOIL    AND    ITS    PREPARATION. 

Small  fruits  may  be  successfully  grown  on  almost  any  soil 
which  is  in  suitable  condition  for  the  ordinary  field  and  garden 
crops.  Land  well  prepared  for  corn,  potatoes,  or  any  of  the 
root  crops,  will  insure,  other  conditions  being  favorable,  a  prof- 
itable yield  of  strawberries,  raspberries,  blackberries,  currants, 
or  gooseberries.  It  is  true  that  some  fruits  require  a  strong 
soil  and  high  cultivation,  while  others  will  succeed  admirably  on 
rather  light,  sandy,  or  gravelly  land,  with  comparatively  little 
care.  The  extremes,  loose  sand  and  heavy  clay,  should  of 
course  be  avoided.  The  slip-shod  sloven  will  do  well  to  inquire 
for  and  plant  out  the  varieties  last  named  only.  The  more  care- 
ful cultivator  will  select  a  plot  such  as  he  would  prefer  for  gar- 
den vegetables,  and  prepare  it  in  a  similar  manner. 

To  say  that  small  fruits  must  be  planted  on  soil  plowed  or 
trenched  eighteen,  twenty,  or  twenty-four  inches  deep,  and  re- 
ceive an  application  of  ten,  fifteen,  or  twenty  cords  of  fine  old 
manure  to  the  acre,  is  only  to  frighten  the  novice  out  of  his  wits, 
or,  at  least,  out  of  any  idea  he  may  entertain  of  growing  small 
fruits  at  all.  It  is  not  denied  that  surprising  results  may  be 
attained  by  adopting  such  methods,  but  the  returns  will  not  jus- 
tify the  outlay. 

This  statement  is  made  after  having  tested  nearly  all  the  vari- 
ous methods  recommended.  In  one  instance  the  ground  was 
trenched  with  a  spade  two  feet  deep,  and  well  fertilized  to  that 
depth  with  fine  old  manure.  Strawberry  plants  were  set  in  beds 
containing  three  rows  each  one  foot  by  eighteen  inches,  with 
walks  of  two  feet  between  the  beds.  All  runners  were  cut  as 
soon  as  they  appeared,  and  each  plant  formed  a  stool  as  large 
as  a  well  cultivated  hill  of  beans.  The  result  was  simply  won- 
derful. As  many  as  twenty-seven  fruit  stocks  were  counted  on 
one  plant  of  the  Wilson,  and  the  yield  was  undoubtedly  a  quart 
to  a  plant  in  many  instances.  But  it  did  not  pay  ;  the  expense 
was  too  great, — not  less  than  $300  per  acre.  I  have  grown  as 
fine  berries,  and  nearly  MS  large  a  crop,  with  half  the  manure, 
on  land  plowed  less  than  a  foot  deep.  But  it  must  be  admit- 
ted that  under  the  treatment  first  named  the  plants  continued 
to  yield  well  one  or  two  years  longer  than  under  the  hitler. 

Remunerative  crops  are  not  likely  to  be  repeated  under  the 


13 

usual  methods  of  cultivation  for  more  than  two  or  three  years, 
and  many  take  one  full  crop  only  and  then  turn  under  the  plants, 
growing  some  other  crop  on  the  land  for  a  year  or  two  before 
planting  again  to  berries.  The  practice  of  frequently  renewing 
the  plot,  as  young  plants  give  the  finest  fruit,  will  be  found 
most  profitable  and  satisfactory. 

It  is  not  intended  here  to  encourage  poor  cultivation  under 
any  circumstances,  but  only  to  combat  the  wild  and  extravagant 
statements  of  a  few  writers  who  do  much  to  discourage  the  gen- 
eral cultivation  of  small  fruits.  A  circular  recently  received, 
with  a  highly-colored  picture  of  a  strawberry  bearing  the  name  of 
the  writer,  contains  the  statement  that  the  soil,  after  being  dug 
or  plowed,  should  be  il  spread  over  with  at  least  three  inches 
of  thoroughly  rotted  stable  manure."  This  would  require  about 
eighty-five  cords  to  the  acre,  varying  in  cost  from  five  to  eight 
dollars  a  cord,  according  to  locality.  Here  we  have  an  outlay 
of  from  four  hundred  and  twenty-five  to  six  hundred  and  eighty 
dollars  per  acre  for  manure  alone.  If  this  pet  berry,  christened 
in  the  name  of  the  modest  disseminator,  requires  such  extraor- 
dinary treatment,  it  will  be  well  for  purchasers  to  leave  it  alto- 
gether in  first  hands. 

Some  varieties  require  good  strong  soil  and  high  cultivation, 
and  if  the  best  treatment  cannot  be  given  them  the}7  had  better 
be  left  severely  alone.  As  a  rule,  it  will  be  safe  to  give  all 
kinds  the  best  care  possible.  Do  not  spread  over  and  half  cul- 
tivate too  large  an  area,  but  plant  less  and  cultivate  better,  re- 
membering that  it  is  the  inferior  fruit  that  gluts  the  market,  and 
that  there  is  never  a  surplus  of  the  best.  A  good  sandy  loam 
will  be  found  suited  to  a  greater  number  of  varieties  than  any 
other.  Whatever  the  soil  selected  may  be,  it  will  pay  to  have 
it  thoroughly  prepared  mechanically  before  the  plants  are  set. 
This  would  consist  in  deep  plowing,  cross  plowing,  cultivat- 
ing, and  harrowing.  A  sub-soiler  run  in  the  furrow  of  the  com- 
mon plow,  loosening  and  lifting,  but  not  bringing  to  the  sur- 
face the  lower  strata,  will  tend  to  ensure  the  crop  against  a  pro- 
tracted drouth,  such  as  often  happens  at  the  season  of  ripening. 
There  is  little  danger  of  working  land  too  deep. 

If  these  operations  are  preceded  by  the  application  of  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  stable  manure,  it  will  have  become  well  mixed 
with  the  soil  by  the  time  the  planting  out  is  completed. 


14 


I'L ANTING    ON    SOD. 

As  a  rule,  never  plant  small  fruits  on  sod  land  if  it  can  be 
avoided.  Still,  if  such  land  is  plowed  up  early  in  the  fall, 
when  covered  with  grass  or  clover,  the  sods  will  become  well 
decayed  by  spring,  and  may  be  worked  fine  with  the  Acme,  or 
one  of  the  wheel  harrows.  The  soil  may  thus  be  made  mellow 
four  or  five  inches  deep,  without  disturbing  and  bringing  to 
the  surface  uudecayed  herbage.  The  roots  of  plants  on  such 
land  will  strike  down  into  the  decayed  sods  and  make  them- 
selves quite  at  home.  If  an  application  of  manure  is  spread 
broadcast  on  the  land  before  plowing,  all  the  better. 

The  great  danger  in  planting  such  land  with  strawberries 
would  arise  from  the  white  grub,  so  common  in  sod  laud,  often 
proving  very  destructive  to  the  plants. 

DRAINAGE. 

Whatever  the  character  of  the  soil  selected  for  small  fruits, 
care  should  be  exercised  that  no  water  stands  over  or  around 
the  plants  in  winter.  A  heavy  rain  will  often  occur  after  the 
ground  has  frozen  in  the  fall,  filling  depressions,  and  sometimes 
covering  a  large  level  plot  completely  with  ice.  This  is  sure  to 
prove  fatal  to  the  plants  frozen  in  and  excluded  from  the  air. 
Outlets  should  be  seasonably  provided  for  the  escape  of  sur- 
plus water  from  all  low  places,  and  even  on  level  plots  it  is 
safer  to  plant  in  beds  slightly  raised,  to  avoid  this  danger. 
Where  there  is  a  slope  to  the  land,  which  will  almost  always  be 
the  case,  the  width  of  the  bed  may  be  greater,  and  the  elevation 
less,  in  proportion  to  the  fall. 

On  all  wet  lands  under-draining  of  some  kind  must  be 
attended  to  or  the  plants  will  be  thrown  out  by  frost,  and  this 
should  be  done,  of  course,  before  the  plants  are  set.  Tile  for 
this  purpose  will  be  found  the  best,  cheapest,  and  every  way 
the  most  satisfactory.  Where  rocks  are  abundant  and  must  be 
removed  at  all  events,  they  may  be  utilized  for  this  purpose  ;  but 
the  flow  of  water  in  stone  drains  is  liable  to  become  obstructed, 
while  tile  drains,  properly  laid,  never  fail.  The  depth  tit  which 
tiles  should  be  laid  ought  never  to  be  less  than  three  feet. 
The  expense  of  excavation  will  be  much  less  than  for  more  shal- 
low drains  when  stones  are  used.  Any  one  about  to  put  in 


15 

drains  of  any  kind  will  find  it  for  his  interest  to  consult  some 
one  of  the  valuable  works  on  that  subject  before  any  expense 
is  incurred,  thereby  avoiding  many  mistakes  and  much  unneces- 
sary labor. 

A  plot  well  drained  with  tile  is  not  only  comparatively  safe 
from  sudden  floods  in  summer  and  fall,  but  will  be  in  condi- 
tion to  work  much  earlier  in  the  spring — a  matter  of  no  small 
importance  when  new  plantations  are  to  be  made. 

MANURE    AND    FERTILIZERS. 

The  kind  and  quantity  of  manure  required  will  depend  some- 
what upon  the  character  and  condition  of  the  soil.  For  light, 
sandy  land,  a  compost  of  one  third  peat  or  muck  containing  a 
large  per  cent,  of  vegetable  matter,  one  third  clay  or  strong- 
clay  loam,  and  one  third  stable  manure,  will  make  a  valuable 
compost  for  any  of  the  small  fruits.  Ground  bone  mixed  with 
unleashed  wood  ashes — one  part  bone  and  two  parts  ashes — 
dampened  with  water  at  the  time  of  mixing,  and  allowed  to  heat 
for  a  few  days,  will  make  one  of  the  best  fertilizers  for  work- 
ing into  the  soil  at  the  time  of  cultivation.  The  mixture  should 
be  shovelled  over  on  the  stable  floor  once  or  twice,  and  more 
water  and  a  little  gypsum  added  to  check  too  high  a  degree  of 
heat. 

Some  contend  that  old  manure  is  indispensable.  This  has  not 
been  my  experience.  A  Kemp  manure  spreader  will  fine  any 
manure,  and  give  it  an  even  distribution.  If  spread  by  hand,  a 
disk  harrow  will  cut  and  cover  it  in  a  satisfactory  manner. 
Fine  old  manure  will  act  at  once,  and,  for  top  dressing  old 
beds — as  it  can  be  more  evenly  spread — is  much  to  be  preferred. 
Coarse  manure  in  rotting  down  will  shrink  one  half  in  bulk,  and 
in  its  fine  condition  we  usually  apply  twice  as  much  of  it,  and 
this,  in  connection  with  the  fact  that  it  is  more  soluble,  gives  it 
a  deservedly  high  reputation.  But  no  one  expects  a  crop  of 
fruit  till  a  year,  at  least,  from  the  time  of  setting  the  plants,  by 
which  time,  and  long  before,  green  manure  will  have  become 
decayed  and  available. 

Liquid  manure  will  produce  immediate  and  wonderful  results, 
but,  unfortunately,  few  have  the  facilities  for  applying  it.  When 
used  it  should  always  be  in  a  dilute  form,  as  otherwise  it  will 


16 

prove  not  only  unavailable  as  plant  food,  but  injurious  if  not 
destructive. 

In  making  a  plantation  of  small  fruits,  the  condition  of  the 
land  selected  should  be  carefully  considered  before  deciding 
what  kind  and  amount  of  plant  food  to  apply.  A  fertile  soil, 
under  high  cultivation,  will  give  a  good  crop  with  very  little  or 
no  manure,  while  a  starving  soil  must  be  liberally  fed  to  insure 
profitable  results.  As  a  rule,  the  poorer  the  land  the  more 
manure  will  be  required  ;  and  the  more  manure,  the  larger  the 
crop. 

If  special  fertilizers  are  used,  compost  them  with  more  bulky 
manures.  The  two  will  be  better  when  mixed  than  either  alone. 
The  strawberry  is  not  only  a  gross  feeder,  requiring  large  appli- 
cations of  plant  food  of  some  kind,  but  it  will  pay  to  have  it  in 
the  best  condition,  and  at  the  right  time. 

The  fruit  buds  of  the  strawberry,  and  so  of  other  small  fruits, 
are  formed  in  summer  and  autumn,  and  no  application  of  manure 
in  spring  will  increase  their  number,  although  it  may  increase 
the  size  of  the  fruit.  There  is  no  better  time  to  apply  manure  to 
the  strawberry-bed  than  immediately  after  the  picking  season, 
or  early  in  autumn.  A  late  application  m  spring  will  be  of 
comparatively  little  benefit.  To  obtain  the  largest  crop  of  fruit, 
we  must  have  vigorous  and  healthy  plants,  and  these  must  be 
grown  the  previous  season. 

Some  varieties,  under  high  cultivation,  are  inclined  to  make  a 
very  rank  growth  without  a  corresponding  yield  of  fruit,  while 
others  have  a  dwarf  habit.  The  blackberry,  for  example,  on 
rich,  heavy  land,  makes  a  rampant  growth,  and  for  this  reason 
the  less  stimulating  manures  should  be  used.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  Wilson,  and  some  other  varieties  of  the  strawberry,  are 
of  a  dwarfish  habit,  and  will  bear  Peruvian  guano  and  other 
nitrogenous  fertilizers.  Thus  the  cultivator  will  find  occasion 
for  constant  observation  and  study. 

SEASON    FOR   TRANSPLANTING    STRAWBERRIES. 

The  spring  is  undoubtedly  the  best  time  to  set  plants  in  the 
latitude  of  New  England,  but,  with  a  little  extra  care  and  risk, 
it  may  be  done  in  mid-summer,  or  as  soon  after  as  new  plants 
from  runners  become  well  rooted.  The  time  will  depend  upon 


17 

the  weather  and  the  condition  of  the  ground,  whether  wet  or 
dry.  I  have  made  plantations  as  early  as  July,  and  obtained 
nearly  a  full  crop  of  fruit  in  less  than  a  year.  Where  plants 
must  be  obtained  from  a  distance,  and  are  several  days  on  the 
way,  the  risk  is  greater,  and  more  losses  will  occur ;  but  if  they 
are  only  to  be  moved  from  one  part  of  the  field  to  another, 
there  need  be  but  few  failures.  If  the  new  plants  are  rooted  in 
small  pots — a  method  described  elsewhere — they  may  be  trans- 
ported long  distances,  and  set  out  at  any  time  before  the  middle 
of  September,  and  will  yield  a  partial  crop  the  next  season. 

If  runner  plants  from  the  bed  are  to  be  set  in  the  fall,  which 
may  be  done  from  August  to  October,  a  time  should  be  chosen 
when  the  ground  is  moist,  or  during  a  rainy  season,  in  which 
case  very  few  will  fail  to  take  root  and  become  firmly  established 
before  winter.  When  set  late,  the  plants  will  not  always  be- 
come well  rooted,  and  are  liable  to  be  thrown  out  by  frost  and 
destroyed. 

When  set  in  spring,  let  it  be  as  early  as  possible, — as  soon  as 
the  ground  can  be  properly  worked.  April  is  preferable  to  any 
other  month,  but  they  do  well  in  May.  At  this  season — 
April — the  land  is  cool  and  moist,  the  days  are  not  long,  and 
there  is  an  absence  of  drying  winds  and  scorching  suns.  It  is 
at  about  this  time  that  the  plants  are  in  a  semi-dormant  condi- 
tion, and,  being  but  half  awake,  they  receive  less  shock  than  if 
transplanted  after  vigorous  growth  has  begun. 

Plants  set  as  early  in  spring  as  is  here  recommended  will  give 
a  moderate  quantity  of  fruit  within  three  months,  if  the  flower 
buds  are  allowed  to  remain.  But  fruiting  plants  will  not  make 
a  very  strong  growth,  and  it  is  better  to  pinch  off  all  fruit- 
stalks,  and  trim  off  all  but  the  centre  leaves  at  the  time  of 
transplanting. 

Where  a  mixture  of  varieties  is  suspected,  sufficient  fruit  may 
be  allowed  to  set  as  a  test  of  purity,  and  all  spurious  plants  at 
once  removed.  The  vacancies  thus  caused  will  be  filled  by  run- 
ners in  a  few  weeks,  and  the  grower  will  have  the  satisfaction 
of  knowing  that  his  plants  are  unmixed  and  true  to  name.  The 
reputation  of  a  dealer  depends  upon  the  purity  of  his  stock,  and 
he  should  make  a  study  of  foliage  so  as  to  be  able  to  detect  any 
mixture  at  a  glance.  No  two  varieties  have  the  same  habits  of 
2 


18 

growth,  and  when  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  a  plant  are 
once  fixed  in  the  mind,  all  spurious  sorts  can  be  removed  at  any 
time. 

Old  beds  of  strawberries  are  often  situated  in  proximity  to 
•where  a  new  bed  is  to  be  formed,  and  in  such  cases  tufts  of 
.plants  can  be  cut  out  with  a  spade,  and  removed  to  the  newly 
prepared  bed.  If  in  spring,  fruit  may  be  obtained  in  a  few 
weeks.  As  trenches  will  be  required  to  receive  plants  removed 
in  this  way,  and  as  they  are  bulky  and  heavy  to  handle,  this 
method  can  only  be  recommended  for  small  plots,  where  the 
-stock  plants  are  near  at  hand,  and  fruit  is  desired  at  the  earliest 
possible  moment. 

POTTED    PLANTS. 

The  amateur  is  often  anxious  for  a  strawberry-bed  in  bearing 
.at  once,  and  cares  very  little  about  the  expense.  This  demand 
from  persons  who  are  in  a  hurry,  has  led  to  the  practice  of  root- 
ing plants  in  small  earthen  flower-pots,  and  such  plants  can  be 
furnished  at  about  double  the  price  of  those  that  are  allowed  to 
.strike  root  in  the  ground. 

The  method  adopted  is  to  fill  the  pots  with  rich  soil  or  fine 
<jompost — the  better  the  material  the  sooner  the  plant  will  fill 
the  pot  with  roots — sink  the  pot  in  the  ground,  under  the  young 
plant,  and  fix  the  plant  in  position  by  placing  on  the  runner  a 
-small  stone,  or  covering  it  with  dirt,  to  prevent  displacement  by 
the  wind.  It  will  take  about  three  weeks,  under  favorable  cir- 
cumstances, for  the  roots  to  fill  the  pot,  when  the  runner  con- 
necting it  with  the  old  plant  should  be  cut.  The  pot  may  be 
left  undisturbed  for  a  week  or  two  longer  to  allow  the  plant  to 
,  become  well  established  as  an  independent  institution.  If  the 
weather  be  dry  during  this  time,  one  or  two  applications  of 
water,  pouring  it  directly  into  the  pot,  will  be  of  service. 

As  soon  as  plants  have  become  well  rooted,  they  will  be  in 
the  best  condition  for  planting  out  in  their  new  quarters.  If 
allowed  to  remain  long  in  the  pots,  they  become  almost  worth- 
less, owing  to  lack  of  room  for  their  roots  to  develop  and  ex- 
pand. They  are  cramped  and  dwarfed,  like  a  Chinaman's  foot, 
-and  seldom  if  ever  recover.  These  plants  are  in  the  condition 
.known  to  plant-growers  as  "  pot-bound."  On  examination,  it 
will  be  found  that  the  roots  next  to  the  pot  have  turned  black, 


19 

and  are  in  fact  dead.  The  best  way  to  restore  such  plants  is  to 
turn  them  out  of  the  pots  and  wash  all  the  soil  from  their  roots, 
removing  entirely  those  that  are  dead,  and  planting  out  in  fresh 
soil.  It  must  be  apparent  that  such  plants  are  greatly  inferior 
to  those  that  have  simply  taken  root  in  the  ground,  yet  unscru- 
pulous dealers  sometimes  impose  upon  their  customers  by  filling 
orders  in  spring  with  plants  that  have  been  kept  over  winter  in 
pots. 

For  the  reason  here  given,  dealers  only  pot  plants  in  limited 
numbers,  and  of  leading  varieties,  not  knowing  what  and  how 
many  will  be  called  for,  and  not  wishing  to  injure  their  stock, 
or  incur  unnecessary  expense.  Hence  potted  plants  should  be 
ordered  early,  never  less  than  three  or  four  weeks  in  advance, 
to  secure  a  supply  of  well-rooted  plants  of  the  varieties  wanted. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  plants  grow,  but  cannot  be 
made  to  order.  They  should  always  be  turned  out  of  the  pots 
when  shipped,  and  the  balls  of  dirt  containing  the  roots  packed 
in  damp  moss,  leaving  the  foliage  fully  exposed  to  light  and 
air,  and  in  this  condition  they  may  be  transported  almost  any 
distance  without  risk. 

Fig.  1  represents,  better  than  language  can  describe,  the 
method  of  growing  potted  plants.  The  marks  of  cancellation 


Fig.  1. 

show  where  the  runner  should  be  cut  when  the  plant  has  filled 
the  pot  with  roots. 

There  is  not  much  to  be  gained  by  setting  runner  plants  in 
autumn,  as  they  will  not  give  a  full  crop  the  next  year  ;  but  even 
a  small  crop  may  be  better  than  none,  and  it  is  sometimes  more 
convenient  to  transplant  at  that  season. 

TRANSPLANTING    STRAWBERRIES. 

The  land  being  ready,  the  next  thing  in  order  will  be  to  set 
the  plants.  Let  the  rows  for  field  culture  be  as  long  as  possi- 


20 

ble,  so  that  the  horse  and  cultivator  can  be  conveniently  used 
to  keep  the  ground  loose  and  clean.  The  hand  hoe  may  answer 
,for  small  plots  in  the  garden,  but  need  onh*  be  used  immediately 
around  the  plants  on  large  plantations.  If  the  plants  are  to  be 
grown  in  "  matted  rows," — the  most  common  practice — they 
should  be  four  feet  apart.  Matted  rows  a  foot  wide  will  do  to 
talk  about,  but  they  are  seldom  seen.  A  single  row  of  fully 
developed  plants  will  spread  at  least  a  foot,  and  matted  rows 
are  seldom  less  than  two  feet  wide.  This  will  leave  only  two 
feet  for  the  horse  and  cultivator.  Where  plants  are  to  be  kept 
strictly  in  hills,  or  narrow  rows,  three  feet  apart  will  be  a  suita- 
ble distance. 

Plants  are  usually  set  one  foot  apart  in  the  rows,  but  varie- 
ties that  send  out  numerous  runners  may  just  as  well  be  set  two 
feet.  This  should  be  the  distance  when  set  in  spring,  or  where 
the  multiplication  of  plants  is  an  object,  as  in  case  of  some  new 
or  valuable  variety.  If  the  land  be  rich,  it  will  be  fully  stocked 
with  plants  by  fall.  The  runners  may  be  trained  in  all  direc- 
tions, where  plants  only  are  wanted,  and  covered  with  soil  at 
each  joint,  to  keep  them  in  place  and  hasten  rooting.  Runners 
push  before  the  parent  plants  have  fully  ripened  their  fruit,  and 
after  picking  is  over,  make  rapid  growth.  The  new  plants 
only  are  of  any  value  for  making  new  beds  ;  old  plants  are 
worthless. 

When  plants  are  to  be  moved  from  one  field  to  another,  pro- 
ceed as.  follows :  Lift  the  plants  with  a  garden-trowel ;  remove 
all  but  two  or  three  of  the  centre  leaf-stalks  and  the  fruit-stalks, 
if  any,  with  shears  or  a  sharp  knife  ;  straighten  out  the  roots, 
and  cut  them  back  one  third  their  length ;  sprinkle  the  plants, 
if  a  dry  day,  and  take  them  to  the  field  or  garden  in  a  covered 
basket,  or  in  a  pail  with  their  roots  immersed  in  muddy  water. 
Use  a  garden-trowel  for  opening  the  holes,  and  always  set  by  a  line. 
If  the  weather  is  dry,  let  an  active  boy  open  the  holes  and  drop 
out  the  plants,  a  second  boy  fill  the  holes  with  water,  while  a 
third  sets  the  plants,  being  careful  to  have  the  crowns  just  even 
with  the  surface.  Spread  the  roots  in  all  directions,  and  press 
the  soil  firmly  over  them.  It  would  seem  as  though  no  mistake 
could  be  made  in  performing  a  process  so  simple,  yet  it  will 
take  one  man,  on  an  average,  to  watch  three  boys,  and  imike 


21 


sure  that  the  work  is  properly  and  faithfully  done.  The  roots 
will  be  crowded  into  the  hole  in  a  mass,  sometimes  with  their 
ends  pointing  up  instead  of  down  ;  the  plants  will  be  set  so 
shallow  that  nearly  half  of  the  roots  will  be  out  of  the  ground, 
or  so  deep  that  only  the  leaves  can  be  seen,  or,  worst  of  all,  so 
loose  that  they  are  in  danger  of  being  blown  out  by  the  wind.  I 
speak  of  boys,  but  they  are  no  worse  than  men.  In  fact,  a  man 
is  more  intractable  than  a  boy,  just  in  proportion  as  his  skull  is 


Fig.  2. 


Fig.  3. 


thicker.  Once  more  let  me  say  to  every  boy  and  man  :  Set  straw- 
berry plants  with  their  crowns  just  even  with  the  surface  of  the 
ground;  spread  their  roots  as  much  as  possible,  and  press  the  soil 
firmly  over  and  around  them. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  illustrations  here  given  will  make  the 
matter  perfectly  plain.  Fig.  2  represents  a  plant  set  too  deep  : 
the  crown  will  decay,  and  the  plant 
die.  Fig.  3  shows  a  plant  set  so  shal- 
low that  the  roots  are  not  fully  covered. 
They  are  left  in  a  matted  mass,  and 
unless  the  plant  is  re-set  it  will  be 
worthless.  Fig.  4  represents  a  plant 
that  had  its  roots  shortened,  and  prop- 
erly spread  when  transplanted,  and 
gives  a  good  illustration  of  how  the 
work  should  be  done. 

In  field  culture  I  like  the  method  of  growing  strawberries  in 
narrow  rows  in  preference  to  matted  rows,  or,  what  is  still 
worse,  matted  beds.  One  objection  to  the  matted  row  or  bed 
system  is.  that  it  is  impossible  to  keep  the  grass  and  weeds  sub- 


99 


dued.  The  plants  very  soon  become  so  thick  that  the  hoe  can- 
not be  used,  and  hand  weeding  on  a  large  plot  is  out  of  the 
question.  The  result  is,  that  any  attempt  to  give  clean  culture 
must  be  abandoned,  the  grower  taking  one  or  two  inferior  crops 
of  fruit,  when  the  vines  are  turned  under  with  the  plow. 

President  Wilder  says, — "For  garden  culture,  I  like  the 
method  of  planting  in  rows  three  feet  apart,  with  plants  one 
foot  in  the  row,  allowing  each  to  make  from  two  to  four  shoulder 
runners,  and  no  more,  for  the  first  season.  These,  by  autumn, 
will  constitute  a  thrifty  row  of  strong-bearing  plants,  and  will 
produce  more  than  the  common  matted  beds.  For  field  culture, 
I  would  plant  in  rows  four  feet  apart,  and  a  foot  apart  in  the 
row,  and  where  wide  beds  are  allowed,  it  will  be  found  of  great 
benefit  to  pinch  off  all  superfluous  runners,  so  as  to  have  none 
but  strong  plants.  Some  varieties  require  to  be  grown  in  hills, 
and  to  have  the  runners  cut  off  as  soon  as  they  appear — such  as 
the  Sharpless,  Bidwell,  and  Triomphe  de  Gand.  Parker  Earle, 
an  extensive  grower  of  small  fruits  at  the  West,  says, — "  Let  as 
many  runners  grow  as  will  make  a  narrow  matted  row  :  cut  the 
balance,  keep  the  middles  clear  all  the  time."  E.  P.  Roe, 
author  of  "  Success  with  Small  Fruits,"  says, — "  I  am  satisfied 
that  the  method  best  adapted  to  our  Eastern  and  Western  condi- 
tions is  what  is  termed  the  c  narrow-row  system,'  believing  that 
it  will  give  the  greatest  amount  of  fine  fruit  with  the  least  de- 
gree of  trouble  and  expense.  The  plants  are  set  one  foot  from 
each  other  in  line,  and  not  allowed  to  make  runners.  In  good 
soil  they  will  touch  each  other  after  one  year's  growth,  and 
make  a  continuous  bushy  row." 

In  garden  culture,  plants  may  be  set  in  beds — not  raised  beds 
— of  three  or  four  rows  each,  the  rows  eighteen  inches  apart, 
and  the  plants  one  foot  apart  in  the  rows.  Leave  walks  at  least 
two  feet  wide  between  the  beds  for  convenience  in  hoeing  and 
picking.  There  will  be  no  occasion  for  stepping  on  beds  thus 
set  for  any  purpose.  Cut  all  fruit-stalks,  and,  if  to  be  grown  in 
hills,  all  runners  as  the}7  appear.  Keep  the  ground  mellow,  al- 
low no  weeds  to  grow,  and  mulch  in  case  of  severe  drouth. 
Such  a  bed  will  remain  productive,  if  top-dressed  annually  for 
five  or  six  years. 


23 


THE  NUMBER  OF  PLANTS  REQUIRED  FOR  AN  ACRE. 

Many  orders  are  given  for  plants  and  trees  without  making; 
an  estimate  of  the  number  required.  The  order  may  be  for 
more  or  less  than  are  wanted,  thereby  subjecting  the  purchaser 
to  unnecessary  expense  in  one  case,  or  to  the  trouble  and  delay 
of  sending  a  second  order  in  the  other.  Late  orders  are  always 
to  be  avoided,  as  the  stock  of  a  variety  may  be  exhausted,  and 
if  not,  the  plants  are  liable  to  be  of  an  inferior  quality. 

The  following  table  will  be  found  convenient : 

Number  of  Plants,  Trees,  etc.,  required  to  Set  an  Acre. 


Dista 
1ft. 

u 

2 
2 
2i 
3 
3 
3 
4 
6 

nee. 

by  if 
U 
1 
2 
2£ 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 

Number. 

t  43,560 

Dista 

6ft 
8 
10 
12 
15 
18 
20 
25 
30 
40 

ice. 

by6f 

8 
10 
12 
15 
18 
20 
25 
30 
40 

Number. 
t.       .              .       .              1  210 

19  360 

680 

21  780 

435 

10  890 

302 

6  970 

194 

.     .                       134 

14,520 

7  260 

103 

70 

.     .     .          .     4  840 

2  722 

40 

1.742 

27 

In  case  it  is  proposed  to  set  at  distances  not  given  in  the 
table,  it  will  only  be  necessary  to  multiply  the  width  of  the  rows 
in  feet  by  the  distance  of  the  plants  apart,  and  divide  43,560,. 
the  number  of  square  feet  in  an  acre,  by  the  product. 

Example.  Plants  set  three  feet  by  six  would  each  occupy  an 
area  of  eighteen  square  feet,  and  43,560  divided  by  18  gives 
2,420,  the  number  required  to  set  an  acre. 

STRAWBERRIES.       WHAT    TO    PLANT. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  name  any  one  variety  as  superior 
to,  and  for  all  purposes  more  valuable  than,  any  other.  The 
question  is  often  asked,  What  is  the  best  strawberry?  and 
the  answers  given  by  good  judges  are  quite  varied.  In  factr 
there  is  no  one  kind  superior  to  all  others  under  all  conditions. 
Soil,  location,  cultivation,  and  other  circumstances  have  so 
much  to  do  with  success  or  failure,  that  we  cannot  be  sure,  in 
advance,  what  variety  or  varieties  it  is  best  to  plant  out.  On 
one  plot  a  certain  kind  will  lead  in  productiveness  and  profit,, 
while  only  a  few  rods  distant  the  soil  and  situation  may  be  so- 


24 

unlike  that  the  same  variety  will  be  a  total  failure.  The  begin- 
ner may  derive  much  aid  by  consulting  those  extensively  en- 
gaged in  the  business  of  growing  small  fruits,  though  he 
cannot  safely  rely  upon  the  experience  of  others,  but  must  ex- 
periment for  himself.  If  growing  for  his  own  private  use,  he 
will  consult  his  own  taste  as  to  quality  ;  but  if  for  market,  he 
must  cater  to  suit  the  demands  of  the  purchaser. 

MUST    BE    ADAPTED    TO    THE    SOIL. 

While  some  varieties  seem  peculiarly  adapted  to  a  rather 
light  sandy  soil,  others  require  that  which  is  strong  and  heavy, 
and  still  others  appear  indifferent,  doing  equally  well  on  any 
soil.  One  kind  will  give  perfectly  satisfactory  returns  grown 
in  hills,  matted  rows,  or  by  the  slipshod  method,  while  another 
will  fail  in  the  absence  of  high  and  clean  cultivation,  and  unless 
grown  in  hills  on  congenial  soil.  Liberal  manuring,  deep  work- 
ing of  the  land,  mulching,  and  irrigation  will  insure  success  in 
the  dryest  season.  If  plants  are  thus  treated,  the  soil  will  be 
found  filled  with  their  roots  as  deep  as  cultivation  extends.  A 
like  examination  of  plants  on  a  shallow  soil  will  show  roots  too 
short  to  render  the  moisture  below  available.  Some  varieties 
require  deeper  soil  than  others. 

The  following  extract  from  the  report  of  the  New  York  Ex- 
periment Station  for  1883  is  in  point:  "A  plant  of  the  Triomphe 
de  Gand  strawberry,  the  roots  of  which  we  washed  out  August 
13,  had  roots  extending  nearly  vertically  downwards  to  the  depth 
of  twenty-two  inches.  The  horizontal  roots  were  few  and  short, 
the  longest  being  traceable  but  six  inches.  The  greater  part  of 
the  roots  extended  nearly  perpendicularly  downwards,  and  near- 
ly all  of  the  fibrous  ropts  were  found  directly  beneath  the  plant." 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  varieties  to  be  selected  will  depend 
almost  entirely  upon  the  object  in  view.  For  the  home  garden 
the  quality  should  be  first  considered.  The  plant  should  be 
hardy,  healthy,  and  fairly  productive,  the  fruit  of  at  least  me- 
dium size,  of  good  form  and  color,  and  in  its  general  appearance 
attractive.  With  such  varieties  as  the  Downing,  Cumberland, 
Hervey  Davis,  Jersey  Queen,  Minor's  Prolific,  Mount  Vernon, 
Sharpless,  and  Wilder,  or  any  other  judicious  selection  from  the 
early,  medium,  and  late  varieties,  any  one  may  enjoy  a  full  supply 


25 

of  the  most  beautiful,  luscious,  and  healthful  fruit  for  more  than 
a  month.  That  it  comes  before  any  other  fruit  is  ready  for  the 
table  renders  it  all  the  more  welcome  and  valuable. 

For  the  market,  varieties  must  be  selected  that  will  "  crop 
heavily,"  that  are  large  and  "  showy,"  and  that  are  firm  enough 
to  bear  "  handling."  As  purchasers  are  seldom  guided  by  the 
palate,  the  fruit  must  be  such  as  will  "  take  the  eye  ;"  the  qual- 
ity is  of  but  little  account.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  public 
taste  is  so  defective  as  not  to  demand  fruit  of  the  highest  ex- 
cellence. Fortunately  there  is  no  longer  any  excuse  for  placing 
upon  the  market  inferior  berries.  There  are  now  many  varie- 
ties, each  of  which  has  combined  in  a  high  degree  almost  every 
desirable  requisite  of  a  first-class  fruit ;  yet  none  are  perfect. 
The  ideal  variety  has  not  yet  been  produced,  although  there  are 
plenty  of  them  described  in  the  catalogues. 

ORDERING    NEW    VARIETIES. 

Purchasers  should  be  cautious  in  ordering  new  varieties  at 
exorbitant  prices.  Every  year  brings  out  a  batch  of  new  straw- 
berries, "  price  $2  per  dozen,  $10  per  hundred. "  The  mails  are 
filled  with  beautiful  colored  plates  of  single  plants,  and  sections 
of  rows  loaded  with  fruit  in  all  stages  of  development — "per- 
fectly splendid."  Why,  a  plot  ten  feet  square  of  such  plants 
would  supply  a  large  family  with  fruit  for  four  weeks,  when  it 
would  be  time  for  the  introduction  of  some  new  candidate  for 
favor  greatly  superior  to  the  last. 

These  new  kinds  are  purchased  of  the  originator,  and  con- 
trolled each  by  a  single  dealer,  by  whom  they  are  parcelled  out 
to  other  dealers  to  be  sold  at  a  stipulated  price  for  a  specified 
time.  This  u  syndicate"  puff  and  push  the  variety  as  long 
as  the  price  can  be  kept  up,  and  until  it  has  become  widely 
disseminated,  when  all  at  once  it  proves  to  be  a  fruit  of  little  or 
no  value,  inferior  to  many  of  the  old  standard  sorts.  If  the 
amateur  could  only  keep  cool  a  year  or  two,  he  would  not  want 
the  much  lauded  variety  at  all,  and  thus  save  his  money. 

On  a  careful  comparison  of  two  lists  of  strawberries  offered 
for  sale  by  New  York  horticulturists,  largely  engaged  in  selling 
small  fruits  and  plants — one  published  in  1862,  and  the  other  in 
1882,  naming  sixty-four  and  forty  varieties  respectively — I  find 


26 

only  one  variety,  the  Wilson,  retained  of  the  former  list  after 
a  period  of  twenty  years.  This  shows  how  rapidly  old  varieties 
are  supplanted  by  those  of  recent  introduction.  We  have  better 
varieties  now  from  which  to  select  than  at  any  time  in  the  past, 
but  the  long  list  should  be  greatly  abridged,  and  all  inferior 
sorts  discarded.  In  selecting  fruits,  either  for  home  use  or  for 
market,  it  is  best  to  rely  mainly  upon  a  few  standard  sorts, 
leaving  it  for  the  amateur  to  hunt  through  a  bushel  of  chaff  to 
find  a  grain  of  wheat. 

SUBSTITUTIONS. 

Some  dealers  claim  a  right  to  substitute  other  kinds  of  plants 
and  trees  for  those  ordered,  whenever  they  can  offer  an  excuse 
for  so  doing.  The  only  excuse  in  most  instances  would  be, 
that  they  have  not  in  stock,  and  never  had.  half  of  the  varieties 
advertised  in  their  catalogues.  Early  in  the  season,  when  there 
is  plenty  of  time  to  procure  plants  from  other  dealers,  they  are 
likely  to  fill  the  order,  but  later  resort  to  substitution.  Here  is 
a  sample  of  what  one  dealer  claims  a  right  to  do : 

IT  IS  IMPOSSIBLE  FOR  ANY  NUSERYMAN  to  keep  up  his  as- 
sortment of  all  kinds,  and  it  is  so  with  us,  and  we  must  claim  the  privi- 
lege, when  out  of  some  sorts,  to  put  in  others  equally  as  good  for  the  sec- 
tion of  the  country  the  order  comes  from.  We  believe  that  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten  we  can  select  a  better  assortment  for  either  market  or  family 
use  than  what  is  generally  called  for.  We  can,  however,  make  out  most 
any  assortment,  if  allowed  to  put  in  sorts  that  we  have  not  got  among  our 
larger  trees,  with  a  smaller  size,  or  those  "  in  the  bud,11  we  making  up  the 
difference  in  size  and  price  with  more  trees,  or  any  other  stock  you  may 
name. 

And  here  is  another  : 

SUBSTITUTION. — In  case  where  my  stock  of  certain  varieties  is  ex- 
hausted, as  may  happen  late  in  the  season,  it  is  the  general  custom  to  sub- 
stitute a  variety  equally  as  good,  or  better,  and  as  near  like  it  as  possible, 
in  time  of  ripening,  quality,  etc.  It  should  be  stated  in  the  order,  there- 
fore, if  it  is  desired  that  this  should  not  be  done. 

Could  anything  be  more  absurd?  Mark  the  modesty  of  the 
first  author,  when  he  claims  Unit  in  nine  cases  out  of  ton  lie 


27 

knows  better  what  his  customers  want  than  they  know  them- 
selves. 

Many  orders  are  made  up  largely  of  new  varieties,  the  parties 
giving  them  having  been  in  the  small-fruit  business  for  years, 
and  possibly  may  have  grown  more  plants  than  the  dealer  ever 
saw.  He  wishes  to  keep  up  with  the  times  by  testing  every- 
thing new,  and  gives  his  order  for  one  thousand  of  the  Ne  2)lus 
ultra.  The  dealer  is  short  of  that  variety,  and  sends  as  a  sub- 
stitute the  Big  Booby  (named  for  the  originator,  and  badly 
mixed),  that  being  a  bit  of  a  drug  on  his  hands,  but,  in  his  esti- 
mation, just  the  thing  to  "fill  the  bill."  The  would-be  pur- 
chaser may  have  already  tested  the  substitute,  and  be  on  the 
point  of  plowing  under  an  acre  or  two  of  that  variety,  having 
found  it  perfectly  worthless. 

But,  says  the  plant  man,  "It  should  be  stated  in  the  order, 
therefore,  if  it  is  desired  that  this  should  not  be  done,"  or,  in 
other  words,  place  at  the  top,  bottom,  and  sides  of  your  order 
this  caution  :  N.  B.  Please  do  not  substitute  the  old  choke 
pear  for  the  Seckel,  nor  the  common  field  strawberry  for  the 
Sharpless. 

The  catalogue  from  which  the  last  extract  was  made  contains 
this  very  proper  announcement :  "  We  would  be  pleased  to  see 
our  customers  and  others  at  any  time,  except  on  the  SABBATH  : 
on  that  day  there  will  be  no  admittance  to  our  grounds,  and  no 
business  transacted" — from  which  we  may  fairly  infer  that  the 
author  is  not  only  a  conscientious  but  also  a  pious  man.  When, 
however,  we  ask  of  this  man  bread,  he  claims  a  right  to  give  us 
a  stone  ;  or  if  we  ask  a  fish,  he  is  ready  to  give  us  a  serpent. 

No  man  has  either  a  legal  or  moral  right  to  fill  an  order,  ex- 
cept by  following  it  literally  ;  and  the  better  way  is,  where  any 
deviation  is  made,  to  reship  the  plants  at  once. 

OVER-PRAISED    FRUITS. 

There  is  often  a  war  of  words  among  fruit-growers  relative 
to  the  quality  of  different  fruits,  and  as  to  the  rank  to  which 
each  is  entitled.  This  is  sometimes  the  result  of  prejudice,  or 
an  interest  which  different  parties  may  have  in  pushing  the  sale 
of  a  new  variety.  The  entire  stock  of  "  a  new  thing  "  is  often 
purchased  by  an  enterprising  dealer  in  plants  at  an  extravagant 


28 

price,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  interest  for  him  to  "  unload  "  as  soon 
as  possible.  It  is  not  strange  that  the  description  of  such  a 
fruit,  coming  from  a  person  deeply  interested  in  its  sale — some- 
times unscrupulous — often  turns  out  to  be  high-colored,  fabu- 
lous, or  a  downright,  bold-faced  lie.  I  want  to  strike  out  of  the 
last  sentence  all  after  the  word  "  be,"  and  insert  in  place  thereof 
the  words  "  too  highly  praised."  The  description  by  the  origi- 
nator is  often  so  extravagant  as  to  be  amusing.  Here  is  a  spec- 
imen :  "  The  Jersey  Queen.  The  largest  and  most  luxuriant 
plant  we  have  ever  seen  ;  appearing  to  thrive  under  any  and  all 
circumstances  ;  easily  grown,  making  vigorous  runners,  never 
burning  or  blighting  its  foliage,  invariably  bearing  the  largest 
fruit,  of  fine  form  and  first  quality  ;  coloring  evenly,  and  per- 
fectly brilliant  and  beautiful ;  fine  in  texture,  solid  and  firm,  yet 
melting,  high-flavored  and  luscious.  The  very  best  of  all  to 
carry  and  keep.  The  crop  under  high  culture,  in  both  quantity 
and  quality,  and  under  neglect  and  abuse,  has  astonished  every 
one  acquainted  with  its  performance.  With  the  terrible  drouth 
prevailing,  it  neither  faltered  or  failed  in  any  respect,  but  ap- 
peared as  thriving  and  luxuriant  as  in  more  favorable  seasons. 
The  most  trying  circumstances  do  not  seem  to  affect  it,  as  under 
the  action  of  the  severe  frost  of  1878,  in  the  most  exposed  sit- 
uation, when  every  other  in  its  vicinity  was  nearly  destroyed,  it 
seemed  but  slightly  affected,  as  it  bore  the  largest  and  finest 
crop  ever  seen  upon  our  grounds."  I  have  here  given  only 
about  half  of  what  the  originator  has  to  say  in  praise  of  the 
Jersey  Queen,  yet  enough  to  show  that,  if  true,  it  is  far  superior 
to  any  other  variety  ever  offered  to  the  public.  The  only  reason 
why  this  variety  has  not  driven  all  others  out  of  cultivation  is, 
that  there  are  a  score  of  other  kinds  just  as  highly  praised. 

But  there  is  an  honest  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  merits 
of  varieties,  that  is  entitled  to  greater  respect.  Soils,  locations, 
fertilizers,  and  other  conditions,  have  an  important  influence  on 
the  quality  of  all  fruits.  Vintners  in  all  wine-making  countries 
find  that  there  is  a  great  difference  in  the  quality  of  wine  made 
from  the  same  variety  of  grapes  grown  in  vineyards  only  slightly 
remote  from  each  other.  This  difference  cannot  be  accounted 
for  by  the  vine-grower.  It  may  be  the  result  of  a  combination 
of  circumstances  apparently  so  trifling  that  no  one  of  them 


29 

seems  important.  The  same  is  true  of  other  fruits  as  well  as  of 
the  grape,  and  this  may  account  for  the  great  diversity  of  opin- 
ion as  to  the  rank  of  certain  varieties,  among  equally  good 
judges.  In  one  instance  a  fruit  is  grown  under  the  most  favor- 
able conditions,  and  in  the  other  the  conditions  are  all  adverse. 
Grapes  in  California,  where  grapes  almost  equal  to  our  best  hot- 
house varieties  grow  spontaneously,  have  been  found  to  contain 
fifty  per  cent,  more  sugar  on  the  mountains  than  in  the  valleys. 
This  may  be  owing,  in  part,  to  the  fact  that  on  elevations  the 
season  for  ripening  is  longer,  such  localities  being  comparatively 
exempt  from  frost. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  quality  of  all  small  fruits  may 
be  improved,  or  injured,  by  the  amount  and  kind  of  plant-food 
applied  to  the  soil.  And  there  is  a  wide  field  open  in  this  direc- 
tion for  experiment  and  observation.  As  all  the  elements  of 
plant  nutrition  are  now  conveniently  accessible,  through  dealers 
in  chemicals  and  chemical  fertilizers,  it  would  not  seem  difficult 
to  arrive  at  some  definite  and  important  results  relative  to  thi& 
subject. 

RAPID    PROPAGATION. 

The  grower  is  often  anxious  to  increase  to  the  utmost  a  val- 
uable, scarce,  or  high-priced  variety,  and  it  is  possible  to  obtain 
fifty  or  one  hundred  runner  plants  from  a  single  stock-plant  the 
first  year.  In  order  to  attain  this  object,  careful  attention  and 
judicious  management  will  be  required.  First  in  order  will  be  a 
thorough  preparation  of  the  land  at  least  a  foot  deep — two  feet 
would  be  better — by  the  use  of  a  spading-fork  or  plow,  cultivator 
and  harrow.  A  heavy  application  of  fine  old  stable-manure,  or 
compost,  should  be  worked  into  the  soil,  and  if  this  can  be  done 
the  autumn  previous  to  planting  out,  all  the  better.  Peruvian 
guano,  if  it  can  be  obtained  before  it  has  been  "  doctored,"  or 
some  chemical  fertilizer  containing  a  large  per  cent,  of  nitrogen 
— for  it  is  plants  and  not  fruit  that  we  are  working  for — may  be 
applied  with  advantage.  Avoid  the  use  of  green  manure,  as  its 
action  is  slow  and  we  are  in  a  hurry,  and  for  the  reason  that  it 
is  liable  to  fill  the  land  with  the  white  grub  (lachnosterna  fusca), 
the  larvae  of  the  May-bug,  June-bug,  or  dor-bug,  as  it  is  often 
called,  so  destructive  in  the  strawberry-patch. 

Set  the  plants  as  early  in  spring  as  the  condition  of  the  soil 


30 

will  admit,  in  rows  six  feet  apart,  and  the  plants  at  least  four 
or  five  feet  distant  in  the  rows.  Let  all  runners  grow,  training 
them  so  as  to  cover  the  ground.  No  weeds  should  be  tolerated. 
Make  slight  depressions  beneath  each  joint  of  the  runners, 
pressing  down  the  young  plant  and  weighting  it  with  a  small 
stone,  on  covering  it  with  earth,  to  prevent  displacement  by  the 
wind.  If  a  little  fine  manure,  or  fertilizer  of  some  sort,  is 
placed  under  or  around  the  plant,  it  will  cause  a  stronger  and 
more  rapid  growth.  Irrigation,  or  frequent  watering  with  dilute 
liquid  manure,  will  also  aid  in  the  multiplication  of  runners,  and 
plants  unsurpassed  in  quality.  A  good  stock  of  any  new  straw- 
berry may  in  this  way  be  obtained  in  a  few  months. 

NEW    VARIETIES    FROM    SEEDS. 

The  perfect  strawberry  must  be  of  the  best  quality,  large, 
productive,  of  good  color  and  form,  and  firm  enough  to  bear 
handling  and  transportation.  The  plant  must  be  vigorous, 
healthy,  hardy,  not  easily  injured  by  cold  in  winter,  or  scorching 
suns  in  summer,  and  every  way  the  habit  of  the  plant  must  be 
good. 

A  berry  not  ripening  evenly  and  coloring  to  the  point  is  ob- 
jectionable, as  it  is  inconvenient  to  pick,  and  unsalable.  It  is 
hard  to  convince  the  buyer  that  a  berry  having  a  white  tip  is 
fully  ripe.  This  is  a  fault  of  the  Sharpless,  Kentucky,  Bidwell, 
and  most  of  the  very  large  varieties.  Some  of  the  largest  and 
best  kinds  have  the  fault  of  being  ill-formed,  or  coxcomb 
shaped.  The  old  Iron-Clad,  as  pictured,  is  one  of  the  worst  of 
this  class  ;  and  the  Sharpless  is  often  so  imperfectly  formed  that 
many  think,  and  not  without  reason,  that  its  name  is  Shapeless. 

Experiments  in  growing  seedlings  are  very  interesting,  and 
may  prove  very  profitable.  In  case  of  small  fruits,  results  are 
arrived  at  early — in  from  one  to  three  or  four  years.  The  proc- 
ess consists  simply  in  sowing  seeds  of  the  best  berries  of  the 
best  varieties.  Never  sow  seeds  of  inferior  fruit.  Plants 
raised  from  the  best  are  inclined  to  revert,  and  will  usually  pro- 
duce fruit  inferior  to  that  of  the  parent.  If  one  seedling  in  a 
thousand  proves  superior  in  all  respects,  the  experiment  may  be 
regarded  as  a  success. 

To  obtain  seeds,  select  the  berries  when  perfectly  ripe,  crush 


31 

them  with  the  hand  or  otherwise,  and  free  them  from  the  pulp. 
This  may  be  done  by  washing,  as  the  seeds  will  readily  settle, 
while  the  pulp  will  float,  and  may  be  drained  off.  The  seeds 
may  be  preserved  in  sand,  or  in  the  ordinary  paper  seed-bags, 
and  stored  in  a  cool,  dry  place  till  wanted  ;  or  they  may  be  sown 
at  once  in  boxes,  or  in  the  open  ground.  Care  must  be  taken 
that  the  seeds  are  not  too  deeply  covered,  say  not  more  than 
one  fourth  of  an  inch.  Press  the  soil  firmly  over  the  seeds,  and 
and  be  watchful  lest  the  soil  becomes  dry  before  they  have- 
germinated.  The  young  plants  will  begin  to  show  themselves 
in  a  few  weeks,  and  must  receive  careful  attention.  If  sown  in 
midsummer,  the}7  will  encounter  the  dryest  and  hottest  weather, 
when  watering  and  partial  shading  will  be  sometimes  indispen- 
sable. 

If  started  in  boxes,  they  may  be  transplanted  to  the  open 
ground  as  soon  as  a  few  leaves  have  pushed,  giving  them  suita- 
ble distance  to  develop  and  form  robust  plants.  Watering  and 
shading  at  this  time  are  very  important,  and  must  be  continued 
until  the  young  seedlings  have  become  well  established.  For 
shading  a  few  plants — seedlings  of  ain*  kind — I  have  found 
nothing  better  or  more  convenient  than  small  flower-pots. 
These  are  inverted  over  the  plant  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  but 
removed  at  night  and  in  damp,  cloudy  weather.  As  the  bottoms 
of  such  pots  are  perforated,  the  plant  has  sufficient  air,  and  they 
are  not  disturbed  by  the  wind.  The  cost  of  pots  is  at  present 
so  small  as  to  be  no  objection  to  their  use. 

Where  many  seedlings  are  grown,  a  low  frame  consisting  of 
a  narrow  board  may  be  formed  around  the  bed,  and  screens 
made  by  nailing  laths  to  narrow  strips  of  board,  so  as  to  leave 
open  spaces  about  equal  to  the  width  of  the  lath.  These  screens 
placed  over  the  bed  of  seedlings  will  afford  the  requisite  shade, 
as  the  constant  movement  of  the  sun  will  prevent  its  rays  from 
striking  upon  a  plant  more  than  a  few  minutes  at  a  time. 

Plants  treated  as  here  recommended,  if  successfully  wintered, 
will  give  fruit  the  next  season  when  only  a  year  old  ;  but  a 
longer  trial  will  be  required  to  determine  whether  any  will  prove 
of  real  value. 

In  planting  out  these  tender  seedlings,  select  soil  prepared 
with  extra  care  in  the  most  favorable  location.  If  you  propose 


32 


to  start  a  strawberry  "  boom,"  and  go  into  the  "  Jumbo"  and 
"  Big  Booby  "  business,  all  the  conditions  must  be  most  favora- 
ble. Especially  avoid  a  plot  for  a  bed  of  seedlings  liable  to  be 
covered  by  standing  water,  or  sheets  of  ice  in  winter,  as  either 
will  be  sure  death  to  the  plants.  Both  the  bottom  and  surface 
drainage  should  be  perfect.  A  mulch  of  straw,  not  too  heavy, 
and  a  few  evergreen  boughs  over  all,  will  carry  the  plants  safely 
through. 

The  directions  here  given  will  be  a  sufficient  guide  to  those 
who  may  attempt  the  production  of  new  varieties  by  hybridizing 
or  crossing — a  process  fully  described  below. 

HYBRIDIZING    AND    CROSSING. 

In  every  flower,  in  its  natural  state,  we  find  what  are  known; 
to  botanists  as  stamens  and  pistil.  These  are  the  male  and  fe- 
male organs,  and  seeds,  when  present,  are  the  offspring  or 
true  fruit.  Under  cultivation  the  stamens  often  diminish  in 


Fig.  6. 


Fig.  7 


Fig.  8. 


number,  are  very  imperfectly  developed,  and  sometimes  are  en- 
tirely absent.  As  an  illustration,  I  here  give  a  very  good  rep- 
resentation of  the  strawberry  flower  of  each  class. 

Fig.  6  represents  the  perfect  flower  as  we  find  it  growing 
wild,  having  the  pistil  and  the  stamens  fully  developed.  Fig.  7 
shows  the  flower  with  the  stamens  imperfectly  developed,  and 


33 

Fig.  8  represents  the  flower  with  the  stamens  entirely  wanting. 
Plants  having  the  perfect  flower,  as  in  Fig.  6,  will  give  a  full 
crop  of  fruit,  as  they  are  self-fertilizing,  and  those  having  no 
stamens,  as  in  Fig.  8,  will  give  no  fruit  unless  fertilized  by 
other  plants.  Where  the  flowers  are  imperfectly  developed,  a 
partial  crop  may  sometimes  be  obtained.  Fig.  6  represents 
what  are  variously  known  as  staminate,  perfect,  bi-sexual,  or 
hermaphrodite  flowers,  and  Fig.  8  a  pistillate  flower.  The  pistil 
is  that  part  of  the  flower  which  enlarges  when  fertilized,  and 
forms  what  is  usually  called  the  fruit,  but  by  botanists  the 
stigma  ;  unfertilized,  there  will  be  no  development  and  no  per- 
fect fruit.  It  will  be  seen  that  at  the  top  of  the  stamens 
in  the  perfect  flower  there  is  an  enlargement  which  is  known 
as  the  anther.  This  is  filled  with  and  scatters  over  the 
pistil  an  exceedingly  fine  dust  called  pollen,  by  means  of 
which  the  flower  is  fertilized,  and  perfect  fruit  follows. 

Now,  as  no  fruit  can  be  obtained  from  a  pistillate  variety,  un- 
less its  flowers  are  fertilized  by  pollen  from  some  perfect  flower- 
ing sort,  it  follows,  of  course,  that  the  two  varieties  must  be  plant- 
ed out  near  enough  togethei  to  insure  that  result.  Fortunately 
pollen  is  exceedingly  light,  and  is  carried  by  the  wind  and  in- 
sects from  flower  to  flower,  and  fertilization  will  be  effected  at 
a  distance  of  twenty  feet  or  more.  In  planting,  set  the  stami- 
nate varieties,  so  that  the  prevailing  winds  at  the  fruiting 
season  will  carry  the  pollen  over  the  pistillate  bed. 

It  is  obvious  that  if  a  pistillate  and  staminate  variety  are  set 
side  by  side,  remote  from  any  other,  cross  fertilization  will  oc- 
cur, and  the  seed  of  the  pistillate  variety  will  produce  a  plant 
and  fruit  unlike  either  parent,  but  having  some  of  the  character- 
istics of  both.  In  this  way  thousands  of  new  varieties  are 
easily  grown,  some  of  which  may  prove  t  superior  to  either 
parent,  and  better  than  any  other  known  sort.  The  method  of 
crossing  the  strawberry  when  one  is  a  staminate  and  the  other  a 
pistillate  requires  no  skill,  but  may  be  performed  by  any  boy  of 
intelligence,  simply  by  planting  the  two  side  by  side.  The  seeds 
from  the  pistillate  plant  should  be  sown,  as  the  staminate  plant 
will  be  self-fertilized,  and  its  seedlings  may  be  quite  like  the 
parent. 

Any  one  will  see  that  two  pistillate  varieties  cannot  be  crossed, 
3 


34 

as  neither  has  the  power  to  fertilize  the  other.  But  two  stami- 
nate  kinds  may  be  crossed  ; — the  method,  however,  requires 
more  care,  and  is  attended  with  more  uncertainty.  The  stamens 
of  one  variety  must  be  removed  as  soon  as  the  flower  expands, 
and  the  pistil  dusted  with  pollen  from  the  other.  Remove  all 
the  flower-buds  from  the  plant  to  be  fertilized,  except  those 
experimented  with,  to  prevent  self-fertilization,  or  the  stamens 
may  be  removed  with  pointed  scissors  from  all  the  flowers  on 
one  plant,  when  it  may  be  treated  as  a  pistillate  variety. 

I  have  endeavored  to  make  this  subject  plain,  as  it  is  impor- 
tant that  it  may  be  fully  understood.  A  majority  of  the  new 
strawberries  introduced  from  year  to  year  are  the  result  of  cross- 
ing, either  artificially  or  through  the  agency  of  wind  or  insects. 
We  are  often  told  that  a  new  strawberry  is  a  "  chance  seedling," 
found  growing  in  a  bed  of  the  Crescent,  it  may  be,  but  sur- 
rounded by  plants  of  the  Charles  Downing,  or  some  other  per- 
fect flowering  kind,  showing  that  it  is  as  truly  a  cross  as  if 
more  carefully  effected. 

Before  leaving  this  subject,  a  few  hints  may  be  useful  to  those 
intending  to  try  the  experiment  of  producing  some  new  and  val- 
uable variety.  Success  will  depend  more  upon  a  judicious  se- 
lection of  varieties  to  be  crossed,  than  upon  skilful  manipula- 
tion. It  would  not  be  wise  to  cross  two  varieties  of  very  poor 
quality,  though  they  might  possess  some  other  desirable  charac- 
teristics. So  of  two  varieties  that  were  unproductive,  lacking 
in  firmness,  of  poor  color  or  form.  The  aim  should  be  to 
counteract  any  fault  of  one  variety  by  using  as  the  other  parent 
a  kind  as  near  perfect  in  that  particular  as  possible. 

For  example  :  The  James  Vick  is  a  staminate  variety,  said  to 
be  immensely  productive,  but  inclined  to  run  too  small.  Why 
not  cross  this  with  the  Jersey  Queen,  a  pistillate  sort,  of  very 
large  size,  fine  flavor,  good  form  and  color,  but  in  some  locali- 
ties not  very  productive  ? 

Why  not  try  a  cross  of  the  Windsor  Chief  (pistillate)  with 
the  Hervey  Davis  ?  They  are  both  of  good  size  and  habit  of 
growth  :  the  color  of  the  Chief  rather  dark,  the  quality  a  little 
off  unless  perfectly  ripened,  and  not  very  firm.  The  Davis  is 
firm,  of  a  beautiful  color,  and  excellent  in  flavor. 

Try  a  cross  of  Jersey  Queen  or  Hervey  Davis — both  of  excel- 


35 

lent  quality — with  the  Crescent,  a  variety  wonderfully  productive 
and  persistent  in  growth  (it  will  beat  twitch-grass,  white  clov- 
er, and  sorrel,  in  a  game  for  life,  three  times  out  of  five),  but 
not  quite  good  enough  to  suit  a  critical  taste. 

I  have  named  only  crosses  between  pistillate  and  staminate 
varieties  as  being  more  easily  made ;  but  the  suggestion  will 
apply  to  crosses  of  staminate  sorts. 

The  query  is  often  propounded  by  the  novice,  Why  grow 
the  pistillate  varieties,  when  they  require  to  be  fertilized  with 
some  perfect  flowering  kind  in  order  to  secure  a  crop?  The  an- 
swer is,  There  are  among  them  some  of  the  best,  most  beau- 
tiful, and,  when  fertilized,  most  productive  varieties  ever  pro- 
duced. 

The  different  staminate  and  pistillate  varieties  may  be  planted 
for  field  or  garden  culture  in  rows  as  indicated  below,  the  marks 
"  P  "  and  "  S  "  showing  which  are  pistillate  and  which  stami- 
nate sorts.  It  is  not  to  be  understood  that  only  two  rows  of 
pistillate  plants  can  be  fertilized  when  flanked  by  a  row  of  stam- 
inates  on  either  side,  as  five  or  more  rows  would  do  equally  well. 
Seeds  taken  from  these  centre  rows  may  be  sown  with  the  cer- 
tainty of  obtaining  a  new  cross  variety. 

^    S.  Wilson. 
™   .  ..       T;      P.  Crescent. 
Plot  1-     |     P;  Crescent. 

S.   Wilson. 

g  S.  Downing,  Sharpless,  or  Cumberland  Triumph. 

P1   ,  0      .5  P.  Manchester. 

H  P.  Manchester. 

f%  S.  Downing,  Sharpless,  or  Cumberland  Triumph. 

z  S.  Bidwell,  or  Sharpless. 

pl      „      .J  P.  Jersey  Queen. 

'  6'     15  P.  Jersey  Queen. 

^  S.  Bidwell,  or  Sharpless. 

S.  Mfr.  Vernon,  or  Kentucky, 
-pi   .  A       3      P.  Champion. 
Plot  4.      *      p    Champion, 

S.  Mt.  Vernon,  or  Kentucky. 

The  crosses  here  suggested  are  only  intended  as  a  hint  to  the 
beginner,  and  not  as  the  best  that  can  be  made.  Some  sur- 


36 

round  a  pistillate  variety  with  a  number  of  starainate  sorts  as 
fertilizers.  This,  of  course,  would  give  a  great  variety  of  seed- 
lings, but  it  would  be  difficult  to  tell  who  was  the  father  of  the 
different  children.  Plants  may  be  potted,  and,  when  in  flower, 
the  crossing  performed  artificially  by  transferring  the  pollen 
from  one  flower  to  the  pistil  of  the  other  by  means  of  a  small 
camel's-hair  brush.  This  may  be  done  in  a  green-house  or  con- 
servatory, at  a  season  when  all  plants  outside  are  in  a  dormant 
state.  The  process  is  exceedingly  interesting,  as  showing  how 
the  laws  of  nature  may  be  made  to  subserve  the  purposes  of 
man,  when  guided  by  intelligence. 

I  have  treated  this  topic  more  at  length,  as  "the  books" 
usually  make  but  brief  allusion  to  it.  On  another  page,  where 
a  description  and  the  origin  of  the  varieties  are  given,  it  will  be 
seen  how  many  of  our  best  fruits  have  been  thus  produced. 

PLANTS    FROM    A    DISTANCE. 

Plants  that  have  been  long  packed  are  often  received  unex- 
pectedly, before  we  are  ready  to  set  them  out.  The  land  may 
not  have  been  fully  and  properly  prepared,  or,  owing  to  recent 
heavy  rains,  or  storms  still  raging,  the  land  may  not  be  in  suit- 
able condition  to  work.  We  may  be  without  sufficient  help  to 
plant  out  large  lots  at  once,  or  other  engagements  may  render 
it  inconvenient  or  impossible.  What  is  to  be  done?  Shall  we 
douse  the  plants  in  water,  and  let  them  remain  for  days  in  the 
package  ?  Not  a  bit  of  it :  yet  this  is  the  most  common  prac- 
tice. Carefully  unpack  at  once,  being  sure  that  the  labels  are 
all  right.  If  the  plants  were  packed  in  sphagnum,  the  best  of 
all  materials,  damp,  but  not  wet,  with  their  leaves  exposed  to 
the  air,  they  should  be  in  prime  condition  though  out  of  the 
ground  for  a  week.  If  found  quite  dry,  they  may  be  spread 
upon  the  bottom  of  a  cool,  damp  cellar,  and  lightly  sprinkled 
with  water,  and  the  roots  covered  by  a  cloth.  But  it  is  usually 
better  to  select  a  damp,  shady  place,  on  the  north  side  of  a 
fence,  grove,  or  building,  and  open  a  trench  sloping  to  one  side, 
and  spread  out  the  plants  so  that  the  foliage,  when  the  roots 
are  covered,  will  be  just  above  the  surface.  They  should  m-ver 
be  covered  in  bundles,  as  the  soil  in  such  case  will  only  come  in 
contact  with  the  outside  roots,  while  it  should  touch  every  rootlet. 


37 

When  a  single  layer  of  plants  has  been  spread  in  the  trench, 
cover  the  roots  with  fine  fresh  soil,  then  another  layer  of  plants, 
and  so  on  till  all  the  plants  of  one  variety  are  nicely  covered. 
The  whole  should  then  be  firmly  pressed  down  with  the  foot. 
This  is  called  "  heeling  in."  Let  the  roots  be  so  covered  that 
all  air  will  be  excluded,  and  each  variety  marked  with  a  substan- 
tial stake.  Such  plants  are  as  safe  as  if  set  in  the  field  per- 
manently, and  if  not  disturbed,  will  at  once  send  out  fibrous 
roots,  and  push  a  fruit  stock,  flower,  and  grow  all  summer.  It 
may  be  well  to  throw  a  few  evergreen  boughs  over  such  plants 
for  a  few  days  when  first  heeled  in,  especially  if  the  weather  is 
dry  and  windy.  Plants  treated  in  this  manner  have  kept  in  the 
best  condition  with  me  for  several  weeks,  and  I  should  prefer  to 
treat  plants  arriving  in  bad  condition  in  this  way  rather  than  to 
set  them  out  at  once.  They  very  soon  become  well  furnished 
with  working  roots,  and  are  in  a  condition  to  make  a  vigorous 
growth.  There  need  be  no  hurry.  Get  your  land  in  good  order, 
and  wait  for  a  cool,  lowery  day. 

PLANTS    BY    MAIL. 

The  best  and  cheapest  way  of  ordering  and  filling  small  orders 
is  by  mail.  Four  pounds  can  be  sent  in  one  package,  any  dis- 
tance, at  one  cent  an  ounce.  Such  packages  are  likely  to  reach 
their  destination  sooner  than  when  sent  b}*  express,  and  if  prop- 
erly put  up,  will  arrive  in  good  order. 

For  mailing,  select  plants  of  medium  size, — which  are  always 
the  best, — and  remove  all  but  the  centre  leaves.  Straighten 
out  the  roots,  and  spread  them  upon  a  thin  layer  of  moss  ;  cover 
them  with  the  moss,  and  roll  all  up  together.  This  will  bring 
all  the  roots  in  contact  with  the  moss,  and  prevent  drying,  or 
the  generation  of  heat  and  consequent  decay.  The  package 
should  first  be  rolled  up  in  oiled  paper,  with  the  leaves  ex- 
posed, with  strong  manilla  paper  outside,  securely  tied,  and 
plainly  directed.  Such  a  package  is  good  for  a  journey  of  five 
hundred  miles.  Failures  almost  always  arise  from  too  much 
moisture. 

SHIPPING    PLANTS. 

Strawberry  plants,  to  be  sent  as  freight  or  by  express,  should 
be  packed  in  boxes  made  with  open  slats  on  the  top  and  sides. 


38 

I  prefer  not  to  put  them  in  bundles  unless  moss  is  mixed  with 
the  roots  before  tying  up.  If  packed  in  the  box  m  layers  alter- 
nating with  damp  sphagnum,  the  roots  at  the  centre  or  bottom, 
and  the  leaves  exposed  to  air  and  light,  the  plants  may  be  sent 
almost  any  distance  without  injury.  Pack  closelv,  so  that  the 
contents  of  the  box  cannot  be  displaced  by  rough  handling. 

The  box  should  be  strongly  made,  and  neither  too  large  nor 
too  small,  and  it  is  better  to  have  them  made  specially  for  the 
purpose.  All  packages  must  be  carefully  directed,  giving  the 
name  and  residence  of  both  seller  and  purchaser,  and  the  date 
when  shipped.  This  last  direction  will  be  found  important. 
Express  messengers  dare  not  retain  a  package  long  when  the 
date  on  the  label  is  evidence  of  their  neglect. 

CULTIVATION. 

When  a  plot  has  been  properly  set  with  plants,  the  next  im- 
portant thing  will  be  to  cultivate  and  care  for  them.  Unless  the 
land  is  unusually  clean,  the  cultivator  should  be  run  between 
the  rows  the  first  season  as  often  as  once  in  ten  days,  followed 
by  the  hand  hoe  and  weeder.  If  the  land  is  stocked  with  the 
seeds  of  white  clover,  sorrel,  couch-grass,  and  purslane,  it  will 
require  a  persistent  effort  to  keep  the  weeds  in  subjection. 
Elsewhere  will  be  found  a  description  of  some  of  the  most  use- 
ful implements  for  this  purpose.  All  disturbance  of  the  roots 
by  cultivation  should  cease  after  the  first  of  September. 

CUTTING   RUNNERS. 

This  work,  like  that  of  picking  the  fruit,  will  tax  the  muscles 
of  the  back  severely,  but  no  more  than  that  of  weeding  and 
transplanting.  Quite  a  number  of  implements  have  been  in- 
vented for  cutting  strawberry  runners,  but  I  have  seen  none  of 
any  practical  value.  The  runners  are  very  strong,  and  any 
machine,  like  a  cultivator  with  knives  or  revolving  disks  at- 
tached to  the  outside  frame,  are  as  likely  to  pull  up  the  parent 
plant  as  to  cut  its  runners.  There  is  this  additional  objection : 
such  knives  or  wheels  run  into  the  soil  so  deep  as  to  cut  too 
many  of  the  horizontal  roots  of  the  plant.  A  narrow  hoe  that 
will  pass  between  the  plants,  ground  sharp,  will  do  most  of  the 
work,  and  require  but  little  stooping.  Large  shears  may  be 


39 

conveniently  used  to  finish  the  work,  as  the}'  pull  the  plants 
less  than  a  knife.  Since  the  dogs  have  exterminated  the  sheep 
in  New  England,  the  old  sheep- shears  may  be  utilized  for  this 
purpose. 

MULCHING. 

Mulching  consists  in  covering  the  plants  in  autumn  with  straw, 
sedge  from  low  meadows,  hay  from  salt-marshes,  leaves,  saw- 
dust, spent  tan,  or  long,  strawy  manure.  Evergreen  boughs 
are  an  excellent  winter  protection,  but  are  not  always  available, 
and  do  not  meet  all  the  requirements  of  a  mulch.  Corn-butts 
are  sometimes  recommended,  but  unless  cut  short  are  too  heavy, 
coarse,  and  awkward  for  convenient  application  and  removal. 
There  are  other  materials  that  may  be  used  as  a  mulch,  and  the 
grower  will  be  likely  to  select  such  as  are  most  convenient  and 
least  expensive. 

The  object  of  a  mulch  is  not  simply  to  keep  the  plants  warm, 
or,  in  other  words,  to  prevent  fatal  injury  by  frost,  for  the 
foliage  of  the  strawberry  is  not  usually  sensitive  to  the  cold, 
but  also  to  prevent  the  frequent  freezing  and  thawing  of  the 
ground  in  fall  and  spring,  by  which  the  plants  are  lifted,  and 
the  roots  broken  and  exposed  to  sun  and  wind.  Mulching 
should  be  removed  in  spring  from  directly  over  the  plants,  and 
carefully  arranged  around  and  under  them  till  after  the  fruit 
has  been  picked.  If  in  sufficient  quantity  to  cover  the  spaces 
between  the  rows,  it  will  keep  the  ground  from  becoming  dry 
and  parched,  smother  the  weeds,  and  prevent  the  fruit  from  be- 
coming soiled  and  spoiled  by  violent  showers  and  protracted 
rain-storms.  Soiled  berries  are  of  very  little  value.  It  is  true 
that  the  fruit  can  be  washed,  but  it  must  be  at  the  expense  of 
its  flavor  and  keeping  quality,  as  well  as  its  appearance  on  the 
fruit-stand  and  table. 

The  objects  of  mulching  having  been  given,  any  one  will  be 
able  to  decide  at  once  what  available  material  it  will  be  for  his 
interest  to  employ.  The  objection  to  leaves  is,  that  it  will  be 
found  impossible  to  keep  them  in  place.  The  strong  winds  pre- 
vailing in  fall  and  spring,  when  protection  is  most  important, 
are  sure  to  drive  them  into  windrows  under  some  neighboring 
fence.  There  is  the  same  objection  to  oat  and  barley  straw, 
unless  weighted  in  some  way.  Evergreen  boughs  cannot  be 


40 

used  conveniently  for  protecting  the  fruit  from  sand.  Sawdust 
and  tan-bark  are  only  a  little  less  objectionable  than  sand  itself, 
as  the  fine  dust  from  either  is  sure  to  be  blown  and  spattered 
upon  the  berries,  and  will  be  found  quite  as  difficult  to  remove. 
Due  caution  should  be  exercised  as  to  the  amount  of  mulching 
applied.  Little  more  than  enough  to  shade  the  foliage  and 
ground  is  required,  while  too  much  is  liable  to  exclude  air  en- 
tirely, and  smother  the  plants.  Straw  not  cleanly  threshed,  and 
grass  or  sedge  that  have  matured  their  seeds,  will  fill  the  rows 
with  plants  as  objectionable  as  any  other  weeds.  I  think  hay 
from  the  salt  marshes  preferable  to  any  other  material  as  a 
mulch  for  the  strawberry  bed,  as  it  is  sufficiently  heavy  to  retain 
its  place  over  and  around  the  plants,  it  never  fills  the  ground 
with  weeds,  and  the  small  per  cent,  of  saline  matter  which  it 
contains  is  certainly  no  detriment  to  the  plants  or  soil. 

Some  have  adopted  the  practice  of  throwing  soil  over  straw- 
berry vines  with  the  spade  or  plow  in  autumn,  removing  the 
covering  early  in  spring :  but  this,  while  it  may  give  protection, 
does  not  answer  any  other  purpose  for  which  a  mulch  is  applied. 
It  does  not  aid  in  keeping  the  fruit  clean,  but  the  opposite  ;  and 
it  has  no  tendency  to  prevent  the  ground  from  becoming  parched 
in  time  of  drouth.  A  furrow  each  side  of  a  row  of  strawberry 
plants,  opened  late  in  autumn,  so  near  as  to  cover  the  foliage, 
must  expose  their  roots  to  the  action  of  frost,  greatly  to  their 
injury. 

Mulching  has  a  tendency  to  retard  the  flowering  of  the  plants, 
and  the  ripening  of  the  fruit ;  but  this,  instead  of  being  an  ob- 
jection, is  sometimes  an  advantage,  as  a  few  days' delay  in  flow- 
ering may  prevent  injury  by  late  spring  frosts. 

INSECTS. 
The  White  Grub  (Lachnosternafusca). 

This  well  known  grub  works  beneath  the  surface,  eating  the 
roots  almost  to  the  crown  of  the  plant,  thereby  causing  it  to 
wilt  and  die.  When  the  matted  bed  or  row  system  is  practised, 
their  mischief  is  not  so  apparent,  as  the  plants  are  crowded,  and 
the  loss  of  a  few  of  them  is  not  noticed  ;  but  when  grown  in 
hills,  every  plant  destroyed  makes  a  bad  break,  which  can  be 


41 

filled  only  by  training   a  runner   so   as  to   fill  the   vacancy,   or 
transplanting  from  other  beds. 

The  grub  is  sure  to  follow  the  row  from  one  plant  to  another, 
destroying  everything  in  its  path.  The  place  to  look  for  it  is 
not  beneath  the  plants  that  are  dead,  but  at  the  roots  of  those 
that  are  just  commencing  to  droop  under  the  midday  sun.  On 
land  where  they  are  plenty,  the  strawberry  patch  should  be 
examined  often.  Dig  out  the  grubs  with  a  garden  trowel  or 
hand  weeder,  and  crush  them  with  the  foot,  or  feed  them  as  a 
tidbit  to  the  poultry.  The  application  of  five  bushels  of  salt  to 
an  acre,  and  working  it  well  into  the  soil  some  days  before  the 
plants  are  set,  may  tend  to  repel  the  grub,  but  I  do  not  believe 
salt  can  be  used  in  sufficient  quantit}^  to  kill  them,  without 
destroying  the  plants.  Avoid  the  grub  by  planting  on  land 
that  has  been  occupied  by  some  hoed  crop  for  at  least  two  years. 

The  Strawberry  Leaf-roller  (Ancliylopterafragaria). 

This  is  another  insect  that  proves  very  destructive  to  the 
strawberry  crop  in  some  sections  of  the  country,  especially  at 
the  West.  It  is  not  known  to  be  common  in  New  England  at 
present,  but  is  liable  and  likely  to  spread  over  all  sections  where 
the  strawberry  is  grown.  Fig.  5  gives  a  correct  representation 
of  the  worm  and  moth.  The  larva,  a, 
is  shown  of  the  true  size,  but  the  moth 
is  enlarged,  as  seen  by  the  lines,  &,  be- 
low. Mrs.  Treat  says  there  are  two 
broods  each  year,  the  first  one  com- 
pleting their  transformations  on  the  leaf 
about  the  first  of  July.  The  second 
brood  enter  the  ground,  where  they 
change  into  the  pupse,  and  remain  until  the  next  spring.  The 
name  is  given  to  the  worm  from  its  habit  of  rolling  itself  up  in 
the  leaves,  which  are  held  together  by  silken  threads,  while  the 
pulpy  portions  are  eaten  out.  The  insect  is  thus  securely 
packed  away,  so  that  no  application  to  the  vines  can  reach  it. 
Some  recommend  mowing  off  and  burning  the  leaves  as  soon  as 
the  fruit  is  gathered,  and  others  plow  the  plants  under,  and 
set  new  beds  at  a  distance.  Scattering  straw  lightly  over  the 
bed  and  burning  it  off  will  not  injure  the  plants,  but  will  destroy 


42 

both  the  insects  and  their  eggs.  Plants  should  never  be  ordered 
from  sections  where  the  worm  abounds. 

INJURY    BY    FROST    IN    SPRING. 

It  is  not  an  uncommon  occurrence  to  catch  a  late  frost  just 
when  strawberry  plants  of  the  earliest  varieties  are  in  flower. 
This  is  sure  to  result  in  a  partial  or  total  destruction  of  the 
crop.  All  at  once  we  find  ourselves  at  the  mercy  of  the  weather, 
after  having  taxed  our  skill  to  the  utmost  in  our  efforts  for  suc- 
cess. We  look  over  our  fields,  a  day  or  two  after  a  frost,  only 
to  find  the  incipient  fruit  black  and  blighted,  and  realize  fully 

that 

"  The  best-laid  schemes  o1  mice  an'  men 
Gang  aft  a-gley." 

The  injury  is  sometimes  so  slight  as  not  to  be  apparent  for  a 
time,  the  fruit  not  being  killed,  but  only  touched  at  the  apex, 
causing  imperfect  development, — the  formation  of  "  buttons," 
as  they  are  called.  Such  varieties  as  have  long  fruit  stems  and 
hold  their  flowers  high  above  the  foliage,  are  especially  liable 
to  injury.  Among  these  may  be  named  the  Sharpless,  Crystal 
City,  Captain  Jack,  and  Kentucky.  The  later-flowering  sorts, 
and  those  having  only  short  fruit-stalks,  well  protected  by 
leaves,  are  more  exempt  from  injury. 

Can  anything  be  done  to  ward  off  the  mischief  that  threatens 
in  all  frosty  sections?  The  answer  is  :  First,  select  an  elevated 
tract  of  land,  as  little  subject  to  frosts  as  possible,  where  winds 
are  unobstructed,  in  preference  to  that  which  is  low  and  level. 
It  is  well  known  that  frost  is  not  so  likely  to  form  where  there 
is  a  free  movement  of  air.  Second,  make  yourself  familiar  with 
the  habit  of  growth  of  the  different  varieties,  and  choose  those 
having  short  fruit-stalks,  well  protected  by  leaves.  Third,  if 
the  plot  is  not  large,  smoke  may  be  made  to  drift  over  the  bed, 
so  as  to  prevent  all  injury.  This,  if  seasonable  arrangements 
are  made  to  light  up,  is  not  attended  with  much  labor  or  expense. 
Sawdust,  fine  shavings  from  a  planing-mill,  dampened  a  little, 
leather  chips  from  a  shoe-factory,  weeds,  or  any  waste  material 
about  the  farm,  may  be  used.  This  is  not  mere  theory,  as 
instances  are  not  rare  where  the  strawberry  crop  and  tender  gar- 
den plants  have  been  successfully  protected  in  this  way.  But  a 


43 

slight  degree  of  heat  is  required,  and  smoke  is  always  charged 
with  more  or  less  heat. 

Still  another  method  may  be  adopted,  where  provision  to  meet 
the  foe  is  made  in  advance.  A  very  light  mulching  of  straw  or 
hay  will  effectually  protect  the  flowers,  if  applied  when  danger 
of  frost  occurs.  If  kept  stacked  on  the  field  where  it  is  likely 
to  be  wanted,  it  may  be  scattered  over  a  large  area  in  a  short 
time.  Of  course  it  will  be  necessary  to  remove  it  from  over  the 
plants  as  soon  as  the  cold  wave  has  passed. 

I  have  occupied  more  space  with  these  suggestions  than  may 
seem  necessary  to  those  who  are  situated  in  localities  exempt 
from  frost,  feeling  certain  that  many  of  the  failures  attributed 
to  other  causes  by  the  unobserviug  are  the  result  of  injury  after 
the  flower  petals  have  expanded.  A  bed  of  the  Sharpless  on 
my  own  ground,  last  season,  that  was  white  with  flowers,  gave 
not  a  single  basket  of  fruit,  having  been  killed  by  the  frosts  of 
the  30th  and  31st  of  May.  As  the  flower-petals  are  not  always 
affected,  the  novice  is  not  usually  aware  of  the  injury  that  has 
been  done,  but  the  incipient  fruit  turns  black  in  a  day  or  two, 
showing  the  full  extent  of  the  mischief. 

FIELD    NOTES. 

Notes  carefully  taken  in  the  field,  from  time  to  time,  and  re~ 
corded,  will  become  very  valuable  afterwards  for  reference. 
The  date  when  each  variety  flowers,  ripens,  and  the  length  of 
time  that  it  continues  in  bearing,  should  be  jotted  down.  The 
following  memoranda  were  made  on  the  llth  day  of  June,  and  con- 
tained information  not  to  be  found  elsewhere,  showing  the  rela- 
tive hardiness  of  different  varieties  of  the  strawberry,  and  their 
liability  to  injury  by  spring  frosts.  The  letters  "  S  "  and  "  P  " 
indicate  which  are  staminate,  and  which  pistillate. 

Captain  Jack.  S.  Hardy,  but  a  poor  grower.  Leaves  dark- 
green,  and  small.  Flowers  perfect,  and  badly  exposed  to  frost. 
A  poor  show  for  fruit  on  rather  light  soil. 

Champion  (  Windsor  Chief).  P.  Hardy  foliage,  as  dark  and 
healthy  as  in  mid-summer.  A  good  but  not  rampant  grower. 
Leaf-stalks  longer  than  the  fruit-stems.  Flowers,  only  a  few 
of  which  are  open,  well  protected  by  leaves. 

Charles  Downing.  S.     Hardy.     Plant  strong  and   uninjured. 


44 

The  leaves  are  above  the  flowers,  giving  protection  in  case  of 
frost.  About  one  half  the  flowers  are  open.  A  good  show  for 
fruit. 

Continental.  S.  Foliage  half-hardy.  The  flowers  half  open. 
Leaf  and  fruit-stalks  short.  A  poor  show  for  fruit. 

Crescent.  P.  Flower  small,  not  entirely  destitute  of  stamens, 
but  requires  a  fertilizer  for  a  full  crop.  Plants  hardy  and 
healthy,  but  not  strong.  Flowers  half  open,  and  well  protected. 
Well  set  for  fruit.  A  sure  cropper  on  any  soil. 

Crystal  City.  S.  Foliage  strong  and  healthy.  Fruit  and  leaf- 
stalks high.  Flowers  exposed.  Nearly  out  of  flower.  Well 
set  with  fruit,  but  it  seldom  fulfills  its  promise.  One  of  the 
earliest.  The  crop  is  liable  to  be  spoiled  by  frost. 

Cumberland.  S.  Foliage  strong  and  healthy.  Flowers  large 
and  perfect.  Well  set  for  fruit.  Flowers  early. 

Downer's  Prolific.  S.  Leaf  and  fruit-stalks  tall.  Leaves  a 
light  green,  but  healthy.  Indications  of  only  a  small  crop. 

Forest  Rose.  S.  Only  half  hardy.  A  poor  grower,  and  poor 
show  for  fruit.  Fruit-stems  higher  than  the  leaf-stalks,  leaving 
flowers  exposed.  Soil  poor.  Might  do  better  on  stronger  land. 

Glendale.  S.  Plant  strong,  healthy,  and  hardy.  Comes 
through  the  winter  uninjured.  Leaves  yellowish-green,  and 
higher  than  the  flower-buds.  But  few  flowers  open.  One  of 
the  "  iron-clads." 

Kentucky.  S.  Foliage  dark  and  healthy.  Rather  late  in 
flowering.  Flower  and  leaf-stalks  tall,  but  the  flowers  are  not 
badly  exposed. 

Lenning's  "White.  S.  A  poor  grower  on  light  land.  Foliage 
of  good  color.  A  poor  crop  indicated. 

Miner's  Great  Prolific.  S.  Color  of  foliage  light  green. 
Forms  a  thick  matted  row.  Winters  splendidly.  Leaf  and  fruit- 
stalks  of  medium  height.  Flowers  well  covered  by  leaves. 
Well  set  for  fruit.  The  name  should  not  be  abridged. 

Nicanor.  S.  Foliage  small ;  plant  looks  feeble.  Flowers 
small,  early,  and  badly  exposed. 

Pioneer.  S.  Foliage  yellowish-green ;  looks  sick.  Fruit- 
stalks  higher  than  the  leaves.  A  poor  prospect  for  a  crop. 
May  do  better  on  stronger  soil. 

Prouty.  S.     Forms  a  thick  matted  row.     Healthy  and  hardy. 


45 

Comes  through  the  winter  unharmed.  Flowers  protected  by  the 
leaves.  Very  productive. 

Sharpless.  S.  Flower-stalks  very  high.  leaves  large  and 
glossy.  The  strongest  grower  of  all.  Flowers  large,  and  badly 
exposed.  Winters  well.  Prospect  of  a  heavy  crop.  Later 
notes  show  that  the  fruit  was  entirely  destroyed  by  frost. 

Wilson.  S.  Foliage  dark  and  healthy.  Has  wintered  un- 
harmed. Fruit-stems  taller  than  leaf-stalks,  leaving  the  flowers 
that  open  early  almost  entirely  exposed.  Well  set  for  fruit. 

From  these  notes,  any  one  can  select  varieties  that  are  hardy, 
healthy,  and  productive,  and  that  may  be  safely  planted  on 
frost}7  land,  thereby  avoiding  disappointment  and  loss. 

SIZE    OF    BERRIES. 

Apparently  fabulous  stories  are  often  told  relative  to  the  size 
of  berries.  It  is  useless  to  give  measurements  in  describing 
different  varieties,  as  the  size  of  any  variety  will  depend  upon 
the  soil,  exposure,  locality,  and  general  treatment  it  receives  at 
the  hands  of  the  cultivator,  and  often  upon  some  cause  difficult 
to  explain.  A  berry  that  would  be  classed  as  small,  when 
grown  under  ordinary  conditions  might  be  made  to  rank  as  large 
in  the  hands  of  an  expert. 

The  classification  is  usually  as  follows  :  Small,  medium,  large, 
very  large.  Just  what  is  a  small  or  a  large  berry  has  never 
been  settled,  all  such  terms  being  used  in  a  relative  sense. 
Small  strawberries  among  fruit-growers  and  dealers  in  plants 
are  unknown.  No  such  thing  will  be  found  in  any  of  the  cat- 
alogues. Look  over  the  catalogue  of  the  American  Pomological 
Society,  where  every  variety  described  is  thought  worthy  of 
general  cultivation  ;  and  of  forty-one  varieties  named,  no  berry 
will  be  found  classed  as  small,  and  in  the  copy  before  me,  only 
three  as  medium. 

Specimens  of  the  Sharpless  are  often  found  growing  in  matted 
rows,  with  nothing  like  high  cultivation,  measuring  five  or  six 
inches  in  circumference.  It  is  not  rare  to  hear  of  them  eight 
and  even  nine  inches.  It  is  undoubtedly  the  largest  of  all  straw- 
berries, and  usually  takes  the  prize  at  the  fruit-shows  when  size 
is  the  criterion.  Bidwell,  Cumberland,  Jersey  Queen,  Miner's 
Prolific,  Monarch,  and  Shirts,  are  all  classed  as  very  large  ;  and 


46 

while  some  of  them  may  average  nearly,  if  not  quite,  as  large  as 
the  Sharpless,  yet  they  never  show  single  berries  equal  to  the 
best  of  that  variety. 

EXHIBITION    FRUIT. 

Almost  every  fruit-grower  is  ambitious,  at  times,  to  produce 
specimens  of  unusual  size  for  exhibition,  or  as  a  present  to  some 
friend.  This  may  be  done  by  selecting  one  of  the  large  varie- 
ties, preparing  the  bed  with  special  care,  manuring  heavily, 
mulching,  watering  frequently  and  freely  when  required,  culti- 
vating in  hills,  and  removing  all  runners  as  soon  as  they  appear. 
The  application  of  Peruvian  guano  or  sulphate  of  ammonia  in 
weak  solution,  with  potash  in  some  form,  will  cause  an  enormous 
growth  of  both  foliage  and  fruit.  Cut  out  all  but  one  or  two  of 
the  strongest  fruit  stalks  as  soon  as  a  selection  can  be  made, 
and  leave  only  two  or  three  of  the  largest  berries  to  mature  on 
each. 

It  will  be  prudent  to  protect  fruit  thus  carefully  grown  with 
a  screen  of  mosquito  cloth  as  soon  as  the  berries  begin  to  color, 
or  some  pet  robin,  whose  nest  is  located  on  a  neighboring  tree, 
may  not  be  particular  in  sampling  your  crop  to  select  the  smaller 
specimens.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  plants  producing 
their  first  full  crop  will  give  the  largest  fruit.  Succeeding  crops 
will  run  smaller,  while  the  fruit  will  mature  earlier. 

ACCELERATING    AND    RETARDING    RIPENING. 

Strawberries  are  classified  as  early,  medium,  and  late.  Of 
course  there  is  some  difference  in  their  season  of  ripening,  but 
hardly  two  persons,  equally  familiar  with  different  sorts,  will 
agree  in  their  classification.  So  much  depends  upon  location, 
soil,  and  cultivation,  that  a  berry  that  would  be  called  early  by 
one  person  would  rank  as  medium  with  another  when  grown 
under  varying  conditions.  I  am  satisfied  that  the  time  of  ripen- 
ing depends  more  upon  the  circumstances  named  than  upon  the 
variety  grown. 

It  is  always  desirable  to  extend  the  berry  season  as  much  as 
possible,  either  for  market  or  family  use.  This  may  be  done  in 
various  ways :  First,  by  selecting  those  kinds  that  vary  most 
naturally ;  second,  by  planting  the  early  varieties  on  light, 


47 

warm,  sandy,  soil,  having  a  southern  exposure,  and  late  kinds 
on  heavier  and  cooler  land  sloping  from  the  sun.  In  the  gar- 
den, plant  on  the  sunny  side  of  a  building,  hedge,  or  tight  board 
fence,  for  early  fruit,  and  reverse  the  conditions  to  retard  ripen- 
ing. By  adopting  these  methods,  and  others  that  may  occur  to 
the  gardener,  the  season  can  undoubtedly  be  extended  ten  days 
or  two  weeks. 

Allowing  the  mulch  applied  for  winter  protection  to  remain 
as  late  as  it  is  safe  to  do  so,  thereby  retaining  the  frost  in  the 
ground,  will  tend  to  prevent  early  growth  and  flowering ;  but 
caution  must  be  used  or  the  plants  may  be  injured  if  air  and 
light  are  excluded  after  the  weather  has  become  warm. 

The  following  list  contains  some  of  the  most  popular  varieties 
as  usually  classified : 

Early.  Medium.  Late. 

Crystal  City,  Bidwell,  Captain  Jack, 

Crescent,  early  to  late,     Charles  Downing,  Champion, 

Downer's  Prolific,  Cumberland,  Glendale, 

Dutchess,  Hervey  Davis,  Jersey  Queen, 

Duncan,  James  Vick,  Jucunda, 

Piper's  Seedling,  Manchester,  Kentucky, 

Wilson.  Miner's  Prolific,  Mount  Vernon, 

Sharpless,  Phelps's  Seedling, 

Wilder.  Prouty, 

Seth  Boyden. 

PLANTING    FOR    FAMILY   USE. 

Farmers  and  other  owners  of  large  tracts  of  land  often  seem 
unwilling  to  devote  any  part  of  it  to  the  growing  of  garden  veg- 
etables or  small  fruits.  This  disinclination  arises  from  a  lack 
of  interest  in  the  subject,  and  also  from  an  impression  that  the 
products  of  the  garden  are  mere  luxuries,  and  add  nothing  to 
the  substantial  comforts  of  life.  Of  course  all  such  impressions 
are  erroneous.  No  part  of  the  farm  will  yield  a  better  return 
than  the  garden,  to  say  nothing  of  the  pleasure  and  health  to  be 
derived  from  its  cultivation. 

The  expense  of  a  garden  of  one  eighth  or  one  fourth  of  an 
acre  would  be  merely  nominal,  and  such  an  area  would  supply 
a  large  family.  At  present  the  table  of  the  mechanic,  owning 
no  land,  is  better  supplied  with  fruit  and  vegetables  than  that  of 


48 

the  average  farmer.     This  state  of  things  need  not  and  ought 
not  to  exist. 

A  plot  of  strawberries  containing  four  hundred  plants  will 
give  three  bushels  of  fruit,  or  more  than  three  quarts  a  day,  for 
a  month,  and  will  occupy  less  than  three  square  rods.  Fifty 
raspberry  plants  will  yield  two  bushels  of  fruit,  or  two  quarts  a 
day,  for  one  month,  and  occupy  three  square  rods  ;  and  fifty 
blackberry  plants  will  give  two  quarts  a  day  for  two  months, 
and  require  four  rods  of  land,  making  the  total  area  occupied 
ten  square  rods,  or  one  sixteenth  of  an  acre.  An  equal  amount 
should  be  planted  with  currants,  gooseberries,  and  grapes.  The 
entire  cost  of  plants  will  not  exceed  five  dollars.  This  would 
appear  to  be  a  small  outlay  for  an  abundance  of  fresh  berries 
during  a  period  of  four  months,  whether  they  are  regarded  as  a 
luxury  or  otherwise.  Certainly  no  eighth  of  an  acre  on  the 
farm  planted  with  corn,  potatoes,  or  any  of  the  other  grain  or 
vegetable  crops,  will  yield  so  great  an  amount  of  pleasure  or 
profit. 

PICKING   AND    MARKETING. 

In  growing  berries  for  market,  arrangements  must  be  made 
for  suitable  help  in  picking,  packing,  and  shipping  the  fruit. 
On  extensive  plantations  a  large  force  is  employed  during  the 
entire  berry  season,  which,  when  strawberries,  raspberries, 
gooseberries,  currants,  and  blackberries  are  grown,  following  as 
they  do,'  in  succession,  will  extend  over  a  period  of  about  three 
months.  The  man  who  engages  in  the  small  fruit  business  will 
never  think  of  confining  himself  to  any  one  kind,  as  in  case  that 
should  fail,  his  profits  for  the  year  are  gone.  When,  however, 
the  different  fruits  are  grown  a  total  failure  will  seldom  occur. 

Berry-baskets  and  crates  must  be  provided  before  the  season 
opens,  and  if  only  the  strawberries  were  grown,  they  would  be 
out  of  use  at  the  end  of  three  or  four  weeks,  while  if  all  the 
other  small-fruits  are  cultivated,  they  will  be  required  for  nearly 
half  the  summer.  They  constitute  a  part  of  the  fruit-grower's 
capital,  and  must  not  be  allowed  to  lie  idle  eleven  months  of  the 
year. 

In  case  of  pickers,  it  will  be  well  to  contract  for  the  season, 
as  it  is  difficult  to  secure  a  suflicient  number  of  trusty  persons 
for  a  short  time,  and  transient  pickers  can  hardly  be  trained  to 


49 

the  business  before  the  strawberry  harvest  will  be  past.  Much 
better  help  may  be  obtained  where  constant  employment  can  be 
given  for  a  longer  time.  Pickers  become  expert  in  the  business, 
when  they  will  give  better  satisfaction  to  their  employers  and  earn 
larger  wages  for  themselves. 

On  large  fruit  farms,  resort  is  had  to  the  cities  and  villages 
for  help,  and  temporary  quarters  are  fitted  up  for  their  accom- 
modation. This  becomes  necessary  when  the  distance  is  too 
great  to  admit  of  returning  home  at  night.  These  pickers  some- 
times form  quite  a  little  army,  and  have  to  be  trained  in  their 
work  by  overseers,  and  governed  by  stringent  rules.  The  pick- 
ing is  done  at  a  certain  price  per  basket,  usually  from  one  to 
two  cents  for  strawberries,  the  price  increasing  as  the  berries 
diminish  ;  and  the  wages  earned  vary  from  one  to  two  dollars  a 
day. 

Each  picker  is  required  to  pick  ripe  fruit  only,  and  that  which 
is  fit  for  market,  confining  himself  strictly  to  the  row  assigned 
him.  If,  on  pouring  out  a  basket,  occasionally,  the  fruit  proves 
to  be  unripe,  the  picker  forfeits  all  pay  for  his  work ;  and  if,  oa 
examination,  it  is  found  that  he  has  not  picked  his  row  clean, 
he  is  set  back,  and  required  to  go  over  the  ground  again.  One 
or  two  such  lessons  usually  suffice  ;  but  when,  after  repeated 
admonitions,  a  picker  persists  in  violating  reasonable  rules,  he 
is  dismissed  from  the  field. 

Small  stands  are  provided,  holding  four  or  six  quart  baskets, 
for  convenience  in  bringing  the  fruit  to  the  packing  shed. 
As  each  is  brought  in,  the  berries  are  inspected,  and  the  picker 
receives  a  check  for  the  number  of  baskets  which  it  contains. 
Some  growers  redeem  these  checks  every  Saturday  night,  while 
others  pay  only  at  the  close  of  the  berry  season.  This  practice 
is  adopted  to  prevent  desertions  at  the  height  of  the  harvest. 
As  a  loss  of  checks  is  a  loss  of  pay,  each  picker  must  keep  them 
with  care  until  the  day  of  redemption. 

Some  growers  pick  over  one  half  of  the  ground  each  day,  so 
that  a  particular  section  is  gathered  every  alternate  day,  while 
others  prefer  to  pick  over  the  whole  area  every  day.  In  the 
latter  case  the  berries  are  simply  colored,  not  ripe  ;  but  they  are 
firmer,  and  ship  in  better  condition,  which  is  all  the  grower 
cares  for,  except  to  get  his  money.  These  berries  are  sent 


50 

from  the  suburbs  or  country  to  the  city,  where  they  pass  through 
.the  hands  of  a  commission  merchant,  by  whom  they  are  "  jobbed 
-out,"  and  many  of  them  sent  back  over  the  railroads  to  the 
country  again,  and  sold,  in  some  instances  to  the  next  neigh- 
fbor  of  the  man  who  grew  them.  This  is  called  doing  business. 

PACKING    FOR    MARKET. 

'It  was  formerly  the  fashion  to  remove  the  calyx  from  straw- 
berries when  packing  for  market,  but  this  practice  has  been 
abandoned  for  quite  a  number  of  years.  The  labor,  when 
large  quantities  were  grown,  made  it  well-nigh  impossible  to  put 
up  berries  in  this  way,  and  the  fruit  did  not  ship  as  safely  or 
keep  as  well  as  when  packed  with  the  calyx  remaining  attached. 

There  is  another  practice,  too  common  with  careless  growers, 
that  must  never  be  tolerated,  if  best  prices  are  desired — that  of 
mixing  several  varieties  in  the  same  basket  and  crate.  There 
is  such  a  difference  in  form  and  color  of  the  kinds  usually  grown, 
to  say  nothing  about  the  great  difference  in  quality,  that  no 
sagacious  dealer  ever  thinks  of  placing  upon  the  market  a  mixed 
lot  of  berries.  The  difference  in  price  between  unmixed  fruit 
nicely  packed,  and  a  mixed  lot  badly  assorted  and  otherwise 
carelessly  put  up,  will  often  amount  to  one  half  the  net  receipts. 
This  is  especially  true  at  the  height  of  the  berry  season,  when 
the  market  is  crowded,  and  the  purchaser  can  make  his  selection 
almost  at  his  own  price.  The  best  fruit,  carefully  handled,  and 
packed  in  clean  baskets,  displayed  upon  the  fruit-stand  in  an 
attractive  manner,  will  never  spoil  for  want  of  a  purchaser, 
-while  the  consignment  of  the  careless  shipper  will  be  dumped 
into  the  dock.  There  is  the  same  reason  why  small  fruits 
should  not  be  mixed  as  might  be  urged  against  a  like  practice 
with  the  large  fruits,  such  as  the  apple  and  pear. 

Only  a  few  years  since  it  was  the  custom  to  pack  berries  of 
all  kinds  in  quart  or  pint  boxes  with  covers,  but  now  baskets 
are  generally  used.  The  change  is  attributable  to  several  causes. 
The  first  cost  of  boxes  is  five  times  as  great  as  that  of  baskets. 
As  all  air  was  excluded  the  fruit  did  not  keep  as  well  as  in  bas- 
kets, the  slats  of  which  are  more  or  less  open.  The  sides  of 
boxes  being  perpendicular,  gave  the  fruit  a  chance  to  settle, 
and  become  crushed  by  its  own  weight,  while  the  baskets  are 


51 


flaring,  so  that  the  sides  help  support  the  fruit,  and  prevent  its 
pressing  directly  upon  that  at  the  bottom — a  matter  of  the  great- 
est importance  in  case  of  distant  shipment.  Then,  again,  the 
form  of  the  basket  being  nearly  square,  the  corners  only  slightly 
rounded,  they  can  be  packed  with  greater  economy  of  space 
than  boxes.  The  price  of  baskets  is  so  small — from  $7  to  $10 
per  thousand — that  the  dealer  can  well  enough  afford,  when 
selling  at  retail,  to  let  the  purchaser  take  the  basket  along  with 
the  fruit,  and  return  it  or  not,  as  may  be  convenient.  For  sev- 
eral years  I  have  kept  no  account  of  baskets,  except  in  crates, 
as  was  formerly  necessary  with  boxes,  which  cost,  including 
freight,  about  $5  per  hundred.  The  practice  still  in  vogue  with 
slovenly  retail  grocers,  of  pouring  the  fruit  into  paper  bags  for 
delivery,  in  the  same  package  with  kerosene  oil,  codfish,  and 
plug  tobacco,  is  intolerable.  The  purchaser  should  insist  upon 
having  his  fruit  delivered  in  clean,  new  baskets,  and  refuse  to 
receive  it  in  packages  that  have  become  mildewed  and  filthy  by 
long  and  careless  use. 

Berry  crates  for  shipping  purposes  are  made  of  several  sizes, 
holding  thirty-two,  forty,  and  sixty  quarts.  The  thirty-two- 
quart  crate  is  used  by  nine  tenths  of  fruit-growers.  It  is  of  a 
size  easily  handled  by  one  person,  and  not  likely  to  receive  as 
rough  usage  as  a  heavier  package.  These  crates  cost,  filled 
with  baskets,  about  one  dollar  each.  Veneer  partitions,  called 
u  trays,"  accompany  each  crate,  and  are  so  constructed  as  to 
keep  the  tiers  of  baskets  separate,  and  prevent  all  pressure 
from  those  above. 

By  the  courtesy  of  the 
Messrs.  Batterson  &  Co., 
who  have  kindly  loaned 
their  electrotypes  for  that 
purpose,  I  am  enabled  to 
present  illustrations  of 
crates,  and  also  of  berry 
and  grape  baskets  manu- 
factured by  them.  Their 
goods  have  been  long  on 
the  market,  and,  so  far 
as  known,  have  given  Fi  1Q 


52 


Fig.  12. 


satisfaction.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  crates  are  not  only  strong, 
but  so  constructed  as  to  exclude 
dust,  and  yet  admit  of  the  re- 
quisite ventilation.  There  are 
thousands  of  baskets  manufac- 
tured, holding  less  than  a  quart, 
and  the  temptation  for  some 
growers  to  adopt  packages  of  this  kind  is  too  strong  for  their  moral 
sense.  Thus  the  honest  dealer  is  brought  into  competition  with 
the  cheat.  The  purchaser  is  not  particular 
to  notice  the  difference  in  size  between  the 
honest  and  fraudulent  basket.  ff&Hf^'f ''•  • 

Strawberries  and  black  raspberries  are 
usually  packed  in  quart  baskets,  but  the  pint  basket  is  better 
for  red  raspberries,  and  some  soft  varieties  of  the  strawberry, 
that  do  not  "  stand  up  "  well  in  the  larger  size. 

Where  small  fruits  are  grown  to  be  shipped  to  a  distance, 
seasonable  provision  must  be  made  for  a  full  supply  of  baskets 
and  crates.  It  will  take  from  six  to  ten  days,  on  an  average, 
for  the  return  of  crates,  as  consignees  cannot  dispose  of  all 
fruit  as  soon  as  received,  and  in  the  hurry  of  the  season  are 
often  negligent  about  returning  them  when  empty.  All  crates 
should  be  marked  with  a  stencil  giving  the  name  and  residence 
of  the  owner ;  otherwise  he  is  liable  to  receive  those  that  are 
inferior  in  return. 

VARIETIES    OF    THE    STRAWBERRY. 

I  shall  be  unable  to  even  so  much  as  name  many  of  the  varie- 
ties that  have  been  under  cultivation  within  the  last  twenty 
years.  To  give  a  full  list. — were  it  possible, — would  be  a  waste 
of  space  that  should  be  better  occupied.  Very  few  of  those  so 
famous  a  few  years  ago  are  now  to  be  found  in  the  catalogues, 
and  only  occasionally  is  one  cultivated.  In  the  following  list  I 
have  included  nearly  all  the  old  standard  sorts,  and  such  of 
more  recent  introduction  as  have  been  widely  disseminated,  and 
proved  valuable  either  for  market  or  for  home  use. 

But  few  berries  firm  enough  to  bear  transportation  long  dis- 
tances are  such  as  would  be  selected  for  the  table.  A  berry 
that  will  rank  as  best  for  all  purposes  has  not  yet  been  found. 


53 


I  may  not  have  named  in  the  descriptive  list  all  that  may  be 
thought  entitled  to  a  place  in  such  a  catalogue,  while  it  might 
have  been  better  to  omit  others  that  are  included.  In  making 
up  such  a  list  no  two  fruit-growers  would  agree.  I  have  made 
the  description  as  brief  as  I  possibly  could  and  do  justice  to 
the  varieties  named,  using  very  few  superlative  adjectives. 
Extravagant  praise  is  calculated  only  to  mislead  the  inquirer. 
An  honest  description  will  not  overestimate  a  variety,  or  omit 
its  faults. 

The  pistillate  or  imperfect  varieties  are  so  marked,  and  it 
may  be  understood  that  all  others  are  bi-sexual,  or  perfect- 
flowering.  In  purchasing,  this  knowledge  becomes  important, 
as  pistillate  plants  will  bear  no  fruit  if  set  alone. 

The  engravings,  as  a  rule,  represent  berries  of  the  largest 
size,  and  this  should  be  borne  in  mind  by  the  novice.  The  cuts 
would  please  me  better  if  they  had  not  been  overdrawn.  They 
should  have  been  made  to  represent  berries  of  medium  size. 

DESCRIPTIVE    LIST    OF    VARIETIES. 

Atlantic.  [Fig.  14.]  New; 
not  yet  generally  dissemina- 
ted ;  large,  handsome,  well- 
flavored,  productive  where  it 
originated ;  good  size  and 
color  ;  firm,  bright  red  ;  qual- 
ity good.  Origin,  Atlantic 
County,  N.  J.,  with  a  Mr. 
Potter. 

Bidwell.  Very  large,  coni- 
cal ;  glossy  crimson ;  firm, 
good  ;  early  to  medium  ;  vig- 
orous, thrives  on  all  soils ; 
foliage  light  green,  and  some- 
times scorched  by  sun  in  the 
spring  ;  very  productive.  ^t'mr 

Boy  den  No.  30  (Seth  Boy- 

den).  Large,  late;  obtuse  conical;  firm,  sweet.  Plant  in 
moist  soil,  and  keep  all  runners  cut.  Productive  with  good  cul- 
tivation. Originated  with  Seth  Boyden,  of  Newark,  N.  J. 


Captain  Jack.     Late ;    size 


medium,  round  ;  light  scarlet ; 
quality  second-rate;  firm,  pro- 
ductive. Popular  and  profita- 
ble in  some  localities.  Origina- 
ted with  S.  Miller,  of  Blufton, 
Mo.  A  seedling  of  Wilson. 

Champion  (  Windsor  Chief). 
[Fig.  lo.]  Of  good  size,  round- 
ish ;  dark  crimson  ;  medium  to 
late ;  good  when  fully  ripe ; 
foliage  very  hardy.  Plant  in 
rich  land.  Originated  by  J. 
C.  Neff,  of  Carlisle,  Penn. 
Pistillate. 


Fig. 15. 

Charles  Downing.  [Fig.  16.] 
One  of  the  best  standard  varieties. 
Succeeds  on  all  soils  and  in  all  lo- 
calities. May  be  grown  in  hills  or 
matted  rows.  Large,  of  good  form 
and  color,  firm,  productive ;  very 
good  ;  season  medium.  Originated 
with  J.  S.  Downer,  of  Fairview, 


Fig. 16. 

Crescent.  [Fig.  17.]  Medium 
to  large  ;  very  productive  ;  quality 
rather  poor ;  moderately  firm ; 
early  to  late ;  bright  scarlet ; 
roundish  conical,  and  more  regular 
than  in  the  cut ;  plants  small,  but 
vigorous  •  succeeds  on  all  soils, 
and  will  bear  more  neglect  than 
Fig.  17.  any  other  variety.  Originated 

with  William  Parmelee,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.     Pistillate. 
Cumberland.      Very   large,    regular,    firm,    but   hardly   firm 


55 


enough  for  market ;  bright  scarlet ;  season  medium  ;  very  desir- 
able ;  quality  good.  Originated  by  Amos  Miller,  of  Carlisle,  Pa- 

Downer's  Prolific.  Medium  to  large  ;  light  scarlet ;  roundish 
conical;  rather  soft ;  early,  good  ;  plant  vigorous.  Originated 
by  J.  S.  Downer,  Ky. 

Dutchess.  Round,  uniform;  moderately  firm;  fine  flavor;; 
early,  but  continues  long  in  bearing ;  productive.  Originated 
with  D.  H.  Barnes,  of  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y. 

Glendale.  Large,  conical,  late  ;  dingy  scarlet ;  firm  ;  plant 
vigorous  and  productive  ;  calyx  too  large  ;  color  unattractive  ; 
quality  only  second-rate.  Originated  with  Mr.  Storer,  of  Ohio* 

Great  American.  Large,  roundish  conical ;  firm  ;  dark  red  ; 
season  medium  ;  requires  heavy  soil  and  high  culture  ;  produc- 
tive, but  fails  in  light  land.  Originated  with  E.  W.  Durand,  of 
Irvington,  N.  J. 

Hervey  Davis.  New.  Large,  obtuse  conical ;  bright,  glossy 
scarlet ;  firm  ;  very  good  ;  season  medium  ;  productive.  Orig- 
inated by  J.  B.  Moore,  of  Concord,  Mass.  A  seedling  of  the 
Wilder. 


Fig.  18.  Fig.  19. 

Hovey.  Large,  roundish,  firm  :  bright  scarlet ;  season  medi- 
um ;  very  good  ;  vines  hardy  and  vigorous  ;  moderately  produc- 
tive. Originated  by  C.  M.  Hovey,  of  Boston,  Mass.  Pistillate. 

James  Vick.  [Fig.  18.]  New.  Medium  ;  roundish  conical ; 
moderately  firm  ;  bright  scarlet ;  good  ;  very  prolific  ;  vigorous, 
Originated  with  Samuel  Miller,  Mo. 


56 


Jersey  Queen.  [Fig.  19.]  Very  large  ;  solid;  roundish  con- 
ical ;  very  good  ;  crimson;  season  medium.  One  of  the  best ; 
moderately  firm.  Pistillate. 

Kentucky.  Large;  late;  bright  scarlet;  roundish  conical; 
moderately  firm  ;  prolific  ;  fine  flavor ;  succeeds  on  light  soil. 
Originated  by  Mr.  .1.  S.  Downer,  of  Ky. 

Manchester.  [Fig.  20.] 
Large  ;  moderately  firm  ;  scar- 
let ;  productive ;  obtuse  coni- 
cal ;  season  medium  to  late ; 
succeeds  in  light  soil;  quality 
good.  Leaves  blight  in  some 
localities.  Originated  with  Mr. 
Jesse  Beatty,  of  Ocean  Co., 
N.  J.  Pistillate. 

Miner's    Prolific     (Miner's 
Great  Prolific).      Very  large  ; 
glossy     crimson ;     moderately 
firm  ;  roundish  conical ;  good  ; 
ig.  20.  a    strong    grower ;    very    pro- 

ductive;  season    medium;    colors    unevenly.     Originated    with 
T.  B.  Miner,  of  New  York. 

Monarch  ( Monarch    of  the    West).      Very  large;    irregular; 

plant  vigorous ;  pale  scarlet ; 
tips  white  until  fully  ripe.  Plant 
in  hills,  removing  all  runners. 
Originated  with  Jesse  Brady,  of 
Piano,  111. 

Mount  Vernon  (Kirkwood). 
Large,  late;  light  scarlet;  round- 
ish conical ;  moderately  firm  ; 
good  ;  plant  vigorous  and  pro- 
ductive. Pistillate. 

Mrs.     Garfield.      [Fig.    21.] 
New.     Described  by  the   orig- 
inator as  a  seedling  of  Crescent. 
Medium  to  large  ;    good  form, 
color,  and  quality.     Season  me- 
dium.    Plant  healthy  and  productive.     Originated  with  a  Mr. 
Crawford,  of  Ohio. 


5T 


Pioneer.  Early,  scarlet,  moderately  firm  ;  plant  vigorous ; 
quality  good,  sweet,  perfumed.  Originated  with  E.  W.  Durand, 
of  Irvington,  N.  J. 

Prouty  (Prouty's  Seedling).  Large;  bright,  gloss}7  scarlet; 
long  conical ;  moderately  firm  ;  season  medium  ;  very  produc- 
tive ;  good.  Originated  with  Lewis,  Ellsworth,  111.  ' 

Sharpless.  [Fig.  22.] 
Very  large  ;  bright  red,  often 
with  light  tip ;  firm,  good, 
productive  ;  obtuse  conical ; 
plant  vigorous ;  medium  to 
late.  A  most  desirable  va- 
riety. Originated  with  J.  K. 
Sharpless,  of  Pennsylvania. 
A  mammoth  berry. 

Triomph  de  Gand.  An 
old  favorite.  Large,  and 
often  irregular  ;  firm  ;  bright 
crimson ;  sweet  and  rich. 

Requires     high     cultivation,  Fig.  22. 

and  to  be  grown  in  hills.     Continues  long  in  bearing, 
eign  origin. 

Wilder  (President  Wilder).  Large;  deep  scarlet;  roundish 
obtuse  conical ;  firm  ;  season  medium  ;  very  good.  Originated 
with  Marshall  P.  Wilder,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  in  1861.  A  hy- 
brid of  the  La  Constane  and  Hovey. 
Recommended  for  amateur  cultiva- 
tion. 

Wilson  (Wilson's  Albany).  [Fig. 
23.]  Large,  but  runs  small  at  the 
close  of  the  season  ;  dark  crimson  ; 
very  productive  ;  acid  ;  firm  ;  roundish 
conical ;  early.  Requires  good  soil 
and  culture,  and  renewing  of  beds 
once  in  two  years.  A  profitable  mar- 
ket variety.  Originated  with  John 
Wilson,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

Fig.  23. 


Of  for- 


58 


A    LIST    FOR    TRIAL. 

To  those  who  are  inclined  to  test  other  varieties,  I  would 
suggest  a  trial  of  any  of  those  named  below,  some  of  which  are 
new,  while  others  have  a  fair  reputation,  and  prove  valuable  in 
certain  localities.  Those  marked  P.  are  pistillate. 

Black  Defiance,  Longfellow, 

Col.  Cheney,  P.,  Old  Iron  Clad  (Phelps), 

Crystal  City,  Park  Beauty,  P., 

Daniel  Boone,  Piper's  Seedling, 

Duncan,  Primo, 

Finch  (Prolific),  Ray's  Prolific, 

Forest  Rose,  Russell's  Advance, 

Green  Prolific,  P.,  Seneca  Queen, 

Golden  Defiance,  Shirts, 

Jumbo,  Triple  Crown, 

Jucunda,  Warren. 


RASPBERRIES. 

SOIL  AND  PLANTING. 

The  raspberry  is  second  only  to  the  strawberry  in  importance 
among  the  small  fruits.  There  are  two  kinds,  the  red  (rubus 
strigosus)  and  the  black  (R.  occidentalis ) .  The  root  is  peren- 
nial, while  the  canes  are  biennial.  Nearly  all  fruit  is  borne  on 
wood  of  the  previous  year's  growth  and  its  branches,  and,  after 
bearing  one  crop,  the  canes  die.  They  may  be  at  once  cut  out 
close  to  the  ground,  new  plants  having  in  the  mean  time  sprung 
up  from  the  root  to  take  their  place.  Some  allow  the  old  stalks 
to  remain  till  late  in  the  fall,  and  others  till  spring,  thinking 
that  they  afford  protection  and  support  to  the  new  growth  during 
winter. 

The  canes  are  usually — not  always — covered  with  spines  more 
or  less  wicked,  admonishing  the  cultivator  and  picker  that  the 
plants  are  to  be  respected,  and  handled  with  due  caution.  The 
different  species  tire  found  growing  wild  over  a  large  part  of  the 
western  continent,  and  the  improved  varieties  are  the  result  of 
selection,  cultivation,  and  crossing. 


59 

The  Black-Cap  and  Red  species  of  the  raspberry  require 
somewhat  different  treatment,  though  the  soil  and  preparation 
may  be  much  alike.  A  good  sandy  loam,  or  clay  loam,  is  pref- 
erable to  any  other,  and,  if  somewhat  elevated,  the  flowers  will 
be  more  exempt  from  frost.  It  must  be  so  located  that  standing 
water  will  not  at  any  time  accumulate  and  remain  on  the  sur- 
face, especially  during  the  winter. 

Whether  the  plot  is  large  or  small,  let  the  rows  run  lengthwise 
for  convenience  in  cultivation.  For  Black-Caps,  open  furrows 
with  a  plow,  six  feet  apart,  and  set  the  plants  three  feet  apart 
in  the  row,  which  will  require  2,420  plants  for  an  acre.  The 
red  varieties  may  be  set  somewhat  closer,  say  rows  five  feet  and 
plants  in  the  row  two  feet  apart,  or  4,356  plants  to  an  acre.  In 
this  way  hedge-rows  may  be  formed  sooner  than  when  set  at  a 
greater  distance.  Some  prefer  to  set  in  check-rows,  four  feet 
apart,  so  as  to  run  the  cultivator  both  ways.  But  the  Black- 
Caps  require  more  room,  and  the  distances  first  named  will  be 
found  none  too  great. 

The  roots  should  be  spread  out  in  the  furrows,  and  carefully 
covered  with  fresh  soil,  making  it  firm  over  the  stems,  but  exer- 
cising great  care  in  placing  the  dirt  around  the  germ  or  bud  that 
is  to  form  the  new  plant.  These  buds  are  exceedingly  tender, 
and  if  broken  off,  some  weeks  will  be  required  for  new  ones  to 
form.  In  case  of  the  Black-Cap,  the  destruction  of  the  germ  is 
fatal. 

I  use  a  garden  line  to  ensure  straight  rows  at  equal  distances. 
Choose  a  still,  damp  day  for  transplanting.  If  the  weather  is 
dry  and  windy,  the  plants  may  be  taken  to  the  field  in  a  basket, 
mixed  with  damp  moss,  and  dropped  no  faster  than  they  are  set. 
It  would  be  well  to  open  the  furrows  no  faster  than  they  can  be 
filled. 

Clean  culture  should  follow  transplanting.  Let  the  cultivator 
pass  through  the  rows  as  often  as  once  in  ten  days,  up  to  the 
last  of  August.  Late  cultivation  will  cause  a  late  growth  that 
will  not  mature  sufficiently  to  endure  the  winter.  Not  much 
fruit  need  be  expected  until  the  second  year,  and,  when  the  rows 
are  six  feet  apart,  strawberries  may  be  grown  half  way  between, 
giving  one  or  two  crops,  when  they  must  give  way  to  the  rasp- 
berries, as  they  will  require  all  the  space.  After  three  or  four 


60 


years  the  raspberry  plants  will  begin  to  fail,  unless  some  stimu- 
lating manures  are  applied  and  worked  into  the  soil.  If  this  is 
seasonably  attended  to,  and  repeated  as  often  as  required,  the 
plants  will  yield  profitable  crops  for  eight  or  ten  years.  The 
wide-awake  fruit-grower  will  not  forget  to  have  new  plantations 
in  fresh  soil  coming  forward,  in  the  mean  time,  to  supply  the 
places  of  those  that  are  to  be  rooted  out. 

PROPAGATING  THE  RASPBERRY. 

The  red  raspberry  propagates  itself  rapidly  by  sending  up 
numerous  sprout-suckers,  as  they  are  often  called,  from  their 
roots,  while  the  Black-Cap,  when  allowed  to  grow  without  prun- 
ing, produces  long,  slender  canes — too  slender  to  support  them- 
selves in  an  upright  position,  and  droop  so  much  that  by  August 
or  September  the  ends  will  be  found  trailing  on  the  ground.  If 
at  this  season  the  ends  are  weighted  with  small  stones  or  clods 
to  prevent  their  being  agitated  by  the  wind,  they  will  take  root 
in  a  few  days,  and  form  what  are  known  among  nurserymen  as 
"tip  plants."  These  plants  are  also  formed  on  the  lateral 
branches  that  push  out  on  all  sides  of  the  main  cane  as  soon  as 
the  tips  touch  the  ground.  Fig.  24  represents  a  plant  of  the 


Fig.  24. 

Black-Cap  raspberry  that  has  been  cut  back  at  a,  a,  while  one 
cane  has  been  allowed  to  grow  without  pruning  or  "  pinching 
in,"  as  it  is  usually  termed,  to  show  its  habit  under  neglect. 
The  branches  of  the  central  canes  have  been  covered  and  taken 
root,  as  shown  at  c,  and  the  germ  of  a  new  plant  is  seen  at  the 
surface  of  the  ground.  When  these  plants  have  beceme  rooted, 
which  may  be  easily  determined  by  a  slight  pull  on  the  branch, 
they  may  be  cut  from  the  mother  plants,  as  shown  by  the  marks 


61 


of  cancellation,  leaving  eight  or  ten  inches  of  the  old  wood  at- 
tached for  convenience  in  handling.  When  planted  out,  this  old 
wood  may  be  allowed  to  remain  till  the  new  plant  has  made  suf- 
ficient growth  to  mark  its  locality.  Fig.  25  shows  the  plant  as 
located  in  its  new 
home, — d  d  represent- 
ing the  surface  of  the 

ground;  b, the  numer-  ._ni   _JSl!LL  ^  -JL 

ous  roots  ;  c,  the  bud, 

or    germ,    just    com- 

mencing  growth  ;  and  Fig.  25. 

a,  the  piece  of  old  branch   that    was  cut   at   e.     The  parent 

plant  was  cut  back,  or  pinched,  when  the  canes  were  about  three 

feet  high,  as  shown  at  a  a,  and  the  cross-marks  indicate  the 

point  at  which  the  lateral  branches  should  be  cut,  to  leave  the 

plant  in  best  form  for  withstanding  wind  and  snow,  and  for  the 

production  of  the   largest  crop  of  fruit.      A  plant  pruned  as 

here  shown  will  require  no  stakes  or  trellis  for  support. 

Fig.  26  represents  a  plant 
of  the  red  raspberry  that 
multiplies  by  suckers 
springing  up  from  the 
roots,  often  in  such  num- 
bers that  it  becomes  neces- 
sary to  treat  them  as  weeds. 
This  is  alwavs  done  when 


Fig.  26. 


new  plants  are  not  wanted  for  setting  or  for  sale. 

GREEN    SUCKER    PLANTS. 

Some  varieties  produce  very  few  suckers,  and  it  becomes  neces- 
sary, when  large  numbers  are  desired,  to  adopt  methods  to  encour- 
age their  growth.  This  may  easily  be  done  by  thrusting  down  a 
sharp  spade  a  few  inches  distant  from  the  old  plant  in  such  a  way 
as  to  cut  its  roots  into  pieces  only  three  or  four  inches  long.  The 
roots  being  filled  with  latent  buds,  will  send  up  numerous  suck- 
ers forming  plants  of  the  best  quality.  By  taking  advantage  of 
the  weather,  selecting  a  time  when  it  is  wet  or  cloudy,  these 
green  suckers  may  be  successfully  transplanted  in  summer, 
when  five  or  six  inches  high,  and  a  j^ear  gained  in  the  produc- 


62 

tion  of  fruit.  It  will  be  well  to  remove  most  of  the  leaves  when 
transplanting  green  suckers,  and  filling  the  holes  with  water 
when  setting  will  prevent  excessive  wilting. 

It  is  a  good  practice  to  trim  the  plants  as  fast  as  they  are 
dug,  and  immerse  the  roots  at  once  in  thick,  muddy  water. 
They  may  be  taken  to  the  field  in  a  bucket,  and  dropped  out  no 
faster  than  they  can  be  set  in  a  freshly  opened  furrow.  Such 
plants  will  be  found  better  furnished  with  fibrous  roots  than 
when  they  have  become  older. 

ROOT  CUTTINGS. 

Plant  dealers  increase  their  stock  of  new  and  desirable  varie- 
ties with  great  rapidity  by  digging  up  the  roots  in  autumn,  cut- 
ting them  into  two  or  three  inch  lengths,  and  packing  them  in 
boxes  mixed  with  damp  sand  or  soil.  They  may  be  kept  in  a 
frost-proof  cellar,  or  buried  in  a  locality  where  neither  frost  nor 
water  will  reach  them.  Select  a  dry  place,  having  a  porous 
sub-soil,  and  cover  the  surface  of  the  ground  over  the  cuttings 
with  a  thick  mulch  of  leaves  or  straw  before  freezing  weather 
sets  in.  If  frost  and  an  excess  of  moisture  are  excluded,  these 
root-cuttings  will  callous  during  winter,  and  emit  rootlets  early 
in  spring.  Before  this  occurs,  however,  the  cuttings  should  be 
planted  three  inches  apart  in  drills,  opened  in  a  rich,  sandy 
loam,  and  covered  two  inches  deep,  making  the  soil  firm  with 
the  back  of  the  spade  or  by  pressure  with  the  foot.  On  no  ac- 
count let  the  soil  over  them  become  dry  ;  neither  should  stand- 
ing water  be  tolerated  on  the  bed  for  an  hour.  A  very  light 
mulch  of  straw,  just  enough  to  shade  the  surface,  but  not 
so  much  as  to  exclude  the  sun's  heat,  will  check  evaporation, 
and  prevent  drying. 

Let  the  cuttings  when  dropped  in  the  trenches  be  immediately 
covered  with  fresh  soil,  as  exposure  to  sun  or  wind,  or  placing 
them  in  contact  with  dry  dirt,  greatly  endangers  the  experiment. 
They  will  soon  send  up  shoots,  which,  with  clean  and  careful 
cultivation,  will  attain  a  size  suitable  for  transplanting  in  the 
fall  or  following  spring. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  Black-Caps  never  sucker, 
and  it  would  be  useless  to  attempt  the  growing  of  plants  from 
their  roots.  They  form  "  tip"  plants,  and  these,  if  not  planted 


63 

out  in  fall  or  spring,  may  be  safely  moved  in  May  or  June,  after 
they  have  made  a  growth  of  six  inches.  This,  however,  is  not 
recommended  as  the  best  time  to  set  them,  as  their  growth  will 
be  checked,  and  they  will  not  make  as  strong  plants  the  first 
year  as  those  transplanted  early  in  spring.  The  practice  may 
be  adopted  in  filling  vacancies,  or  when,  for  any  reason,  spring 
setting  has  been  delayed. 

PRUNING  THE  RASPBERRY. 

This  important  operation  is  often  neglected,  or  performed,  if 
at  all,  too  late  in  the  season,  after  the  canes  have  made  their 
growth,  and  become  hard  and  woody.  The  object  of  pruning, 
or  "pinching  back,"  as  it  is  called,  is  to  cause  the  plants  to  form 
a  stocky  growth,  well  furnished  with  lateral  branches,  rather 
than  tall,  naked  canes.  The  latter  are  too  much  exposed  to 
high  winds  the  force  of  which  they  cannot  resist,  and  require 
stakes  to  keep  them  in  place.  Such  canes  will  give  but  a  small 
amount  of  fruit  as  compared  with  plants  that  have  been  clipped 
earl}7,  when  two  or  two  and  a  half  feet  high.  Pinching  while 
the  plant  is  growing  causes  it  to  send  out  numerous  lateral 
branches  that  will  greatly  increase  the  crop  and  size  of  fruit. 
Such  low,  bushy  plants  will  require  no  stakes  or  wires  as  a 
support. 

If  the  pinching  is  neglected  until  the  canes  become  hard,  but 
few  side  branches  will  be  formed,  and  such  as  do  form  will  not 
have  time  to  mature  so  as  to  endure  the  winter.  The  process 
requires  that  each  shoot  should  be  stopped  when  it  has  reached 
the  proper  height,  say  two  or  three  feet,  according  to  the 
strength  of  the  cane.  As  all  the  canes  will  not  attain  the  proper 
height  at  once,  it  will  be  necessary  to  go  through  the  rows  two 
or  three  times  during  the  season  of  growth,  commencing  about 
the  middle  of  June.  The  lateral  branches  should  be  clipped 
when  eighteen  inches  long.  In  this  way  the  plants  may  be 
trained  into  a  hedge-row,  so  as  to  admit  of  more  convenient 
cultivation  and  picking  of  the  fruit.  If  allowed  to  grow  at  will, 
cultivation  and  picking  will  be  well-nigh  impossible.  The  neg- 
lected raspberry  patch  soon  becomes  a  mass  of  tangled  brambles 
that  no  picker  or  cultivator  would  be  persuaded  to  enter  a  sec- 


64 

ond  time.     These  directions  apply  specially  to  the  Black-Caps. 
The  Antwerps  will  not  require  pruning  so  early. 

PRUNING    OUT    OLD    WOOD. 

As  soon  as  the  fruit  has  been  gathered,  all  the  old  canes  may 
be  cut  out  close  to  the  ground.  Some  varieties  are  very  thorny, 
and  a  pair  of  long-handled  pruning-shears  will  be  found  most 
convenient  for  this  purpose  ;  but  a  grass-knife,  corn-hook,  or 
sickle,  will  answer  very  well.  It  is  not  necessary  that  the  prun- 
ing should  be  done  at  this  particular  season  ;  it  may  be  post- 
poned till  the  leaves  have  fallen — a  more  leisure  season — or  even 
till  spring,  before  leaves  appear.  Reasons  could  be  given  for 
choosing  one  time  in  preference  to  another,  but  most  cultivators 
will  be  governed  by  what  they  find  most  convenient.  The  old 
canes,  having  fulfilled  their  mission,  are  somewhat  in  the  way  of 
pruning  and  cultivation  ;  they  may,  in  a  measure,  exhaust  the 
plant  if  suffered  to  remain,  and  if  the  new  wood  is  to  be  bent 
down  and  covered  before  winter  they  will  be  very  troublesome  ; 
but  if  the  plants  are  allowed  to  stand  uncovered,  the  old  canes 
may  serve  as  a  slight  protection  and  support  against  drifting 
snows. 

WINTER    PROTECTION. 

Many  of  the  red  raspberries,  and  some  of  the  Black-Caps, 
are  killed  back  to  the  ground  when  no  winter  protection  is  given. 
The  foreign  varieties  are  all  tender,  and  their  hybrid  seedlings- 
are  not  usually  hardy.  There  are  not  more  than  two  or  three 
varieties  of  marked  excellence  that  can  be  safely  exposed  to  our 
Northern  winters.  The  Turner  and  Cuthbert  are  seldom  injured, 
but  even  these  will  yield  larger  and  finer  fruit  when  protected. 

The  covering  of  the  raspberry  need  not  be  heavy — only  just 
enough  to  keep  the  plants  in  place.  Many  are  frightened  when 
told  that  the  plants  require  protection  ;  but  the  labor  is  not  half 
as  great  as  might  be  supposed.  Soil  affords  the  best  covering, 
and  is  always  at  hand.  The  method  is  as  follows : 

First,  run  a  furrow  between  the  rows,  to  loosen  the  ground, 
and  let  a  shovelful  of  dirt  be  thrown  by  the  side  of  each  plant, 
near  its  crown,  so  as  to  raise  a  small  mound  over  which  to  bend 
the  canes.  This  will  prevent  breaking  by  too  short  a  curve. 
Let  a  boy  bend  the  canes  over  the  mound,  all  in  one  direction, 


65 

and  in  line  with  the  row,  and  hold  them  while  the  shovellers,  one 
on  each  side,  throw  on  dirt  enough  to  keep  them  down,  as  rep- 
resented in  Fig.  27.  In  this  way  pass  along  the  rows  rapidly, 
and  complete  the 
covering  more  at 
leisure.  The  il- 
lustration shows 
at  a  glance  the 
method  of  bend- 
ing down  the 
canes,  a  repre- 
senting the 
mound,  and  b  a  Fig>  27. 

shovelful  of  dirt  thrown  on  the  tips  as  a  weight.  The  mark  of 
cancellation  at  c  indicates  the  point  at  which  the  canes  should 
be  pruned  to  give  the  plant  a  bushy  form.  In  the  way  here 
described  a  large  "  patch  "  may  be  gone  over  in  a  day,  and  no 
labor  will  be  better  rewarded,  whether  the  variety  be  tender  or 
half-hardy.  Slight  protection  will  bring  the  plants  through  the 
winter  uninjured,  and  ensure  larger  and  better  fruit.  Some  rec- 
ommend turning  a  furrow  up  to  the  plants  on  either  side,  but 
this  cuts  and  exposes  the  roots  too  much. 

As  soon  as  the  frost  leaves  the  ground  in  spring  the  plants 
should  be  uncovered  and  tied  up  to  stakes.  For  removing  the 
dirt  from  the  bushes  a  fork  is  preferable  to  a  hoe  or  shovel. 
The  treatment  of  the  raspberry  should  be  such  as  to  secure 
mature  wood  before  winter.  For  this  reason  the  application  of 
manure  in  mid-summer,  and  cultivation  early  in  autumn,  thereby 
causing  a  late  growth,  should  never  occur.  Top-dressing  after 
the  leaves  have  fallen  will  do  no  harm,  and  the  whole  ground 
should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  before  winter  sets  in. 

GROWING   NEW   VARIETIES. 

The  raspberry,  like  the  strawberry,  may  easily  be  grown  from 
seeds,  and  this  is  the  method  where  new  varieties  are  desired. 
Let  the  fruit  be  gathered  when  perfectly  ripe,  crushed,  and  the 
pulp  separated  by  washing.  Always  use  seeds  of  the  best  varie- 
ties, and  from  the  best  specimens  of  that  variety.  Select  the 
5 


66 

fruit  from  healthy  and  vigorous  plants  under  high  cultivation. 
If  two  varieties  have  been  grown  near  each  other,  the  seedlings 
are  likely  to  be  a  cross,  and  some  of  them  may  prove  superior 
to  either  parent. 

The  seeds  are  more  safely  planted  in  fall,  if  the  operation  is 
properly  performed,  and  the  young  plants  carefully  protected ; 
but  they  may  be  preserved  in  sand  in  a  cool  cellar  until  spring, 
and  planted  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  in  suitable  condition.  The 
seed-bed  should  be  well  fertilized,  finely  pulverized,  and  so 
located  that  partial  shade  can  be  given.  The  young  plants  are 
exceedingly  tender,  and  are  likely  to  be  injured,  if  not  entirely 
destroyed,  by  hot  suns  when  fully  exposed.  Boards  six  or  eight 
inches  wide,  placed  around  the  bed  so  that  it  can  be  covered 
by  a  screen  made  of  laths  an  inch  and  a  half  apart,  will  be 
found  convenient,  as  it  may  be  removed  for  cultivation,  or  in 
cloudy  weather,  when  full  light  and  air  are  desirable. 

By  all  means  plant  in  rows  for  convenience  in  cultivation — 
say  in  drills  one  foot  apart — and  let  the  seed  be  covered  not 
more  than  half  an  inch  deep.  The  soil  over  the  rows  should  be 
made  firm  with  the  back  of  a  spade,  or  otherwise.  If  sown  in 
the  fall,  the  young  plants  will  appear  early  the  next  spring,  and 
if  in  spring,  they  will  germinate  in  a  few  weeks.  The  seeds  of 
the  raspberry  retain  their  vitality  for  several  years  if  kept  dry 
and  cool,  and  may  be  sent  by  mail  to  any  part  of  the  country. 
Seedlings  will  require  some  care  the  first  winter,  as  the  wood 
is  not  likely  to  be  sufficiently  matured  to  bear  exposure  to  the 
cold,  and  the  roots  are  almost  sure  to  be  drawn  out  by  frost  and 
injured.  Protection  may  be  given  by  mulching  with  straw,  or 
covering  with  evergreen  boughs,  care  being  taken  that  the 
mulching  is  not  so  thick  and  heavy  as  to  injure  the  plants. 
Some  prefer  to  take  up  the  plants  in  autumn,  and  heel  them  in 
in  some  dry,  sheltered  place,  to  be  planted  again  in  spring  into 
trial  beds,  at  suitable  distances  for  future  development. 

The  growing  of  seedlings  is  like  a  lottery  where  most  of  the 
tickets  draw  blanks.  Only  a  small  percentage  of  the  plants 
will  prove  to  be  of  any  value.  Some  will  prove  tender  ;  others 
wanting  in  vigor,  or  unhealthy  in  growth ;  still  others  will  be 
found  unproductive,  small,  soft,  of  poor  quality,  form,  or  color, 
and  so  be  soon  rejected  ;  while  a  few  may  be  thought  worthy  of 


67 

further  trial.  When  all  inferior  to  the  variety  from  which  the 
seeds  were  taken  have  been  weeded  out,  the  trial  bed  is  not  likely 
to  be  much  crowded. 

In  growing  seedlings,  as  before  intimated,  select  as  the  parent 
a  variety  as  nearly  perfect  as  possible  ;  that  is,  sow  the  seed  of 
the  best  variety  attainable.  If  you  want  hardy  plants,  sow  the 
seeds  of  hardy  varieties  ;  if  size  is  desirable,  with  superior  fla- 
vor, color,  &c.,  then  select  from  varieties  possessing  all  these 
characteristics,  if  such  are  to  be  found. 

If  crossing  or  hybridizing  is  attempted — and  it  should  not  be 
neglected — let  it  always  be  between  varieties  or  species  of 
the  highest  merit.  The  method  of  crossing  may  be  found  in  the 
section  entitled  "  Crossing  the  Strawberry." 

The  flowers  of  some  very  desirable  varieties  of  the  raspberry 
are  imperfect,  and  such  will  yield  a  much  surer  and  better  crop 
when  planted  by  the  side  of  other  kinds  as  a  fertilizer. 

MULCHING    THE    RASPBERRY    AND    BLACKBERRY. 

The  practice  of  mulching  has  heretofore  been  confined  mainly 
to  the  strawberry,  to  protect  the  plants  from  frost  in  winter,  and 
the  fruit  from  becoming  soiled  by  sand.  But  mulching  secures 
other  valuable  ends,  if  seasonably  and  properly  applied.  If  at- 
tended to  before  the  heat  and  drouth  of  summer,  it  keeps  the 
soil  not  only  moist,  but  loose,  and  aids  in  suppressing  the 
growth  of  weeds.  No  matter  how  heavily  rains  may  beat,  nor 
how  hot  the  sun  may  shine,  there  is  never  any  compacting  or 
baking  of  the  soil  under  a  mulch.  Raise  the  mulch  at  any 
time,  and  the  ground  will  be  found  loose  and  mellow  beneath. 
This  condition  of  the  soil  is  desirable  whether  the  season  be  wet 
or  dry,  while  any  surplus  of  water  will  leach  rapidly  from  such 
a  soil ;  instead  of  washing  the  surface,  there  will  always  be 
moisture  enough  retained  for  a  vigorous  and  healthy  growth  of 
the  plant. 

The  mulching  of  the  raspberry,  blackberry,  currant,  and 
gooseberry,  or  even  fruit  trees,  large  and  small,  will  be  followed 
by  good  results.  The  fruit  will  be  more  fully  and  uniformly 
developed,  and  of  superior  quality,  the  conditions  being  more 
uniform  and  favorable. 

The  raspberry  crop  is  often  ruined  by  a  sharp  drouth  during 


68 


its  season  of  growth  and  ripening,  especially  on  a  sandy  loam, 
and  the  same  is  true  of  the  blackberry.  The  currant  not  infre- 
quently sheds  its  leaves  prematurely,  and  before  the  crop  has 
fully  matured.  These  fruits  commence  to  ripen  in  July,  and 
extend  into  August — a  season  peculiarly  liable  to  drouth  and 
extreme  heat,  and  the  loss  from  imperfect  development  is  often 
very  heavy.  It  is  doubtful  if  irrigation,  were  it  practicable, 
which  it  seldom  is,  being  expensive,  would  answer  as  good  a 
purpose  as  mulching. 

RASPBERRIES VARIETIES. 

Brandywine  (Susqueco).  Hardy,  productive,  very  firm,  bright 
crimson,  dry  and  insipid.  Suckers  immoderately.  It  will  ship 
long  distances,  but  its  popularity  is  on  the  wane.  Origin  un- 
known. 

Caroline.  Large,  yellow.  Season  medium.  Very  good. 
Hardy,  vigorous,  productive.  Thrives  where  Brinckle's  Orange 


Fig.  28  (Cuthbert). 

often  fails.     One  of  the  best  yellow  varieties.     Originated  with 
E.  W.  Carpenter,  of  Rye,  N.  Y. 

Clark.  Size,  medium  to  large  ;  red,  quality  good,  early.  A 
strong,  upright  grower.  Very  productive.  Half  hardy.  Raised 
from  seed  by  E.  E.  Clark,  of  New  Haven,  Conn. 


69 

Crimson  Beauty.  New,  large,  bright  scarlet,  roundish,  coni- 
cal, hardy.  Very  early,  productive,  and  of  very  good  quality. 
Originated  with  Dr.  Stay  man,  of  Kansas. 

Outhbert  (Queen  of  the  Market).  Large,  round,  obtuse  coni- 
cal, red,  hardy,  and  healthy.  Vigorous,  productive.  Medium 
to  late.  The  best  red  raspberry  for  general  cultivation.  Suc- 
ceeds everywhere.  Originated  from  seed  in  the  garden  of 
Thomas  Cuthbert,  at  Riverdale,  N.  Y. 

Franconia.  Large,  roundish  conical,  purple.  Very  good. 
Not  perfectly  hardy.  Continues  long  in  bearing.  Origin, 
France,  and  introduced  by  S.  G.  Perkins,  of  Boston. 

Hansell.      One   of  the  earliest    red   varieties.      Very   good. 


Fig.  29  (Hansell). 

Medium  to  large.  Hardy  and  healthy.  Productive.  Intro- 
duced by  J.  T.  Lovett,  of  New  Jersey. 

Herstine.  Large,  obtuse  conical.  Red.  Very  good.  Season 
medium.  Canes  strong,  but  not  quite  hardy.  Should  be  picked 
as  soon  as  colored,  if  to  be  sent  a  long  distance.  A  hybrid  of 
the  Allen  and  Philadelphia.  Originated  with  a  Mr.  Herstine,  of 
Philadelphia. 

Marlborough.  New.  Large,  bright  red.  Firm,  quality  fair. 
Plant  hardy  and  a  vigorous  grower.  Productive. 

Rancocas.  New,  early,  and  prolific.  A  strong  grower.  Size 
medium.  Lacks  firmness.  Origin  same  as  Hansell. 

Reliance.  A  seedling  of  the  Philadelphia,  which  it  resembles 
in  color.  An  improvement  on  its  parent.  Reliable  for  family 
use. 


70 


Superb.  Large,  very  good.  Season  medium.  Dark  crimson. 
A  medium  grower,  and  hardy.  Productive.  Crumbles  in  pick- 
ing, and  color  too  dull  for  market. 

Turner  (Southern  Thornless.)  Size,  medium.  Early.  Qual- 
ity good.  Season  medium.  Very  productive.  Absolutely  hardy. 
One  of  the  best  for  family  use  at  the  North.  Originated  with 
Prof.  J.  B.  Turner,  of  Illinois,  in  1833. 

The  following  are  varieties  of  the  Black-Cap  ( Rubus  Occiden- 
talis) : 

American  Black  (Doolittle).  An  old  standard  variety.  Plant 
vigorous  and  thorny.  Rather  small.  Quality  good.  Very  pro- 
ductive. Season  medium.  Found  growing  wild  by  Leander 
Joslyn,  of  Phelps,  N.  Y. 

Gregg.  Very  large.  Plant  a  strong  and  rapid  grower.  Pro- 
ductive and  hardy.  Quality  very  good.  Season  medium  to  late. 


Fig.  30  ( Gregg). 


One  of  the  most  popular  and  profitable  black  raspberries  in  cul- 
tivation. It  requires  heavy  soil.  Found  growing  wild  on  the 
Gregg  farm  in  Ohio  county,  Indiana. 

McCormick  (Mammoth  Cluster).  Large,  late,  very  good. 
Hardy,  and  a  strong  grower.  Productive.  One  of  the  best  for 
market  and  family  use. 

Ohio.  Size  medium.  Quality  good.  Late,  hardy.  A  strong 
grower.  Season  medium.  Productive.  One  of  the  best  for 
evaporating. 


71 

Shaffer's  Colossal.  Very  large,  purple,  good.  Season  medium 
to  late.  A  rank  grower,  and  very  prolific.  Owing  to  its  unat- 
tractive color,  it  is  not  popular  in  the  market,  but  good  for  home 
use,  and  one  of  the  best  for  canning. 

Souhegan.  Charles  Downing  said  of  it,  "I  am  much  pleased 
with  the  Souhegan,  it  being  quite  early,  of  large  size,  very  pro- 
ductive, quite  firm,  of  a  deep  black  color,  sweet  flavor,  and  a 
very  promising  variety  for  market."  Plant  vigorous  and  hardy. 
Originated  with  a  Mr.  Carleton,  of  Mont  Vernon,  N.  H. 

EXTENDED    LIST    OF    RASPBERRIES. 

Some  of  the  varieties  here  given  have  been  superseded  by 
others  supposed  to  be  more  valuable  ;  some  have  merely  a  local 
value,  and  quite  a  number  of  them  are  new,  and  have  not  been 
widely  disseminated.  The  cap  varieties  are  marked  thus, — C. 
u  F"  indicates  a  foreign  origin  : 

Centennial.  C.  New,  large.  Flavor  fine.  Early.  Produc- 
tive. 

Chapman.  C.     New,  large,  early,  hardy. 

Fastoljf.    Large,  quality  good,  for  home  use,  soft.     F. 

Florence.  C.     Yellow,  large,  good,  productive,  and  hardy. 

Fontenay  (Belle  de  Fontenay).     Large,  good,  late.     F. 

Four  Seasons  Red  (October  Red).     Large,  very  good. 

French.     Medium,  very  good,  season  medium. 

Golden  Thornless.  C.     Yellow.     Superseded. 

Hiland  Hardy.     Medium,  good,  early. 

Hopkins.  C.     New.     Resembles  McCormick.     Early,  good. 

Hornet.     Large,  very  good,  season  medium.     F. 

Hudson  River  Antwerp.    Large,  quality  best,  season  medium. 

Imperial  Red.     Size  and  season  medium,  quality  best. 

Kenevett  (KeneveWs  Giant).  Large,  season  medium,  quality 
best.  F. 

Lost  Rubies.  Said  to  succeed  on  heavy  soil,  if  fertilized  by 
a  staminate. 

Miami.  C.     Medium,  season  medium,  quality  good. 

Montclair.     Large,  very  good,  season  medium. 

Miller's  Woodland.     New,  large,  hardy,  productive. 

Nemalia.  C.  New.  From  Nebraska.  Large,  hardy,  and 
productive. 


72 

Ohio  Everbearing.  C.     Late,  size  medium,  quality  good. 
Orange  (  Brinckle' s ) .     Large,  yellow,  quality  best. 
Philadelphia.     Size  medium,  purplish,  productive. 
Pride  of  the  Hudson.  Very  large,  -quality  very  good,  tender. 
Purple  Cane.  C.     Size  and  season  medium.     Good. 
Smith's.  C.     Very  large,  good,  season  medium. 
Thwack.     Large,  purplish  red,  season  medium,  good. 
Tyler.     Medium,  early,  very  good. 


BLACKBEEEIES. 

The  cultivation  of  the  blackberry  does  not  differ  much  from 
that  of  the  raspberry.  Unfortunately  most  varieties  are  tender, 
and  the  canes  are  so  strong  that  they  cannot  easily  be  bent 
down  and  covered  in  winter.  The  fruit  is  borne  on  wood  of 
the  previous  year's  growth,  and  fails  entirely  when  the  canes 
are  killed  by  frost. 

On  low  land,  especially  if  much  manure  is  applied,  the  black- 
berry makes  a  rampant  growth,  and  for  this  reason  high  land  in 
only  fair  condition  is  preferable.  The  plant  is  naturally  a 
strong  grower,  and  requires  more  room  and  not  as  close  pruning 
as  the  raspberry.  Seven  feet  between  rows,  and  plants  four 
feet  apart  in  the  rows,  is  not  too  great  a  distance  on  strong  soil. 
Strawberries,  or  some  low-growing  annual  crop,  may  be  planted 
half  way  between  the  rows  for  two  years. 

Pinch  back  the  growing  canes  at  three  feet,  and  the  laterals 
at  two  feet,  and  cut  out  the  old  wood,  as  in  case  of  the  rasp- 
berry. If  the  leaders  are  stopped  at  three  feet,  the  laterals  will 
add  one  or  two  feet  more,  and  this  will  be  quite  high  enough  for 
convenience  in  gathering  the  fruit.  The  berries  are  often  picked 
as  soon  as  colored,  and  before  they  are  fully  ripe.  They  will 
improve  on  the  bushes  if  allowed  to  remain  several  days,  and, 
as  a  rule,  twice  a  week  will  be  often  enough  for  picking.  The 
fruit  should  never  be  exposed  to  the  sun  after  picking,  as  it 
will  spoil  the  color. 

The  hardiness  of  the  Snyder  and  Taylor  has  been  fully  tested 
on  my  ground  for  a  number  of  years.  They  have  never  been 


73 


injured,  though  the  thermometer  has  more  than  once  dropped  to 
twenty  degrees  below  zero.  The  plants  have  been  in  an  exposed 
location,  and  have  never  received  any  protection.  Summer 
pruning  has  been  practised  to  give  the  plants  a  compact,  bushy 
form,  and  prevent  a  late  growth.  In  this  way  tender  plants  can 
almost  be  changed  into  those  that  are  hardy. 

Blackberries  will  yield  good  crops  for  six  or  eight  years,  but 
for  the  last  two  or  three  years  a  top-dressing  of  manure  should 
be  given  late  in  the  fall. 

A  description  of  only  a  few  varieties  is  here  given  : 

BLACKBERRIES  -  DESCRIPTION    OF    VARIETIES. 

Early  Harvest.  New,  very  early,  hardy,  and  prolific  ;  firm  ; 
size  medium  ;  quality  very  good  ;  plant  healthy  ;  requires  good 
soil.  Origin,  Illinois. 

Kittatinny.  Very  large  and  fine,  plant  vigorous,  but  rusts  in 
many  places  ;  productive  ;  continues  long  in  bearing  ;  season 
medium  to  late.  Requires  protection  north  of  New  York. 
Found  growing  wild  in  New  Jersey. 

Snyder.  Season  medium,  very  productive  ;  hardy  as  an  oak, 
quality  very  good,  size  medium.  Valuable  for  a  northern  lati- 
tude. 

Taylor's  Prolific.  [Fig.  31.]  Large,  very 
hardy  and  productive  ;  a  vigorous  grower  ; 
sweet,  and  of  fine  flavor.  Larger  and  a  little 
later  than  Snyder. 

Wachusett.  Size,  medium  ;  hardy  ;  very 
good.  A  strong  grower  ;  season  medium  to 
late.  Requires  high  culture.  Nearly  thorn- 
less. 

Western  Triumph.  New.  Size  medium  ; 
very  good.  Not  yet  fully  tested.  Said  to  be 


-  3L 


very  hardy  and  productive. 


EXTENDED    LIST. 


Origin 


Illinois. 


Bonanza.     New.     Large,  productive,  hardy. 
Brunton's  Early.     Size  medium.     Not  entirely  hardy. 
Dorchester.     Early,  hardy,  flavor  fine,  size  medium. 
Missouri  Mammoth.     Large,  sweet.     Midseason. 


74 

New  Roclielle,  or  Lawton.     Very  large,  late,  tender. 
Stayman's  Early.     New.     Very  early,  hardy,  good. 
Stone's  Hardy.     Size  medium,  productive,  hardy. 
Wilson's  Early.     Large,  early,  productive,  tender. 
Wilson  Junior.     New.     Large,  early,  productive,  tender. 

RED  OR  ORANGE-RUST  (  Uredo  rubrum). 

This  disease  attacks  both  the  blackberry  and  raspberry,  and 
in  some  parts  of  the  country  is  very  destructive,  so  much  so 
that  growers  are  forced  to  root  out  and  burn  entire  plantations. 
It  is  of  a  fungus  nature,  and  if  not  checked,  spreads  rapidly 
from  one  bush  to  another  till  all  are  affected.  The  wild  plants 
breed  the  fungus,  and  it  spreads  to  the  cultivated  varieties, 
some  of  which,  such  as  the  Kittatinny  blackberry,  appear  to  be 
more  susceptible  than  others.  The  raspberries  of  the  black-cap 
family  are  often  affected,  where  the  red  (rubus  strigosus)  suffers 
comparatively  little. 

No  successful  attempt  has  been  made  to  restore  the  plant  to 
health  after  it  has  once  become  diseased.  The  only  remedy  is 
to  dig  out  and  burn  every  affected  plant  as  soon  as  the  rust 
appears.  If  the  disease  is  liable  to  be  spread  by  the  wind, 
bees,  pruners,  and  pickers,  as  some  suppose,  the  importance  of 
prompt  action  will  be  manifest. 

All  plants  in  a  feeble  condition,  from  any  cause,  fall  an  easy 
prey  to  both  insects  and  disease.  It  is  recommended  to  set 
plants  on  virgin  soil,  well  drained,  fertilized,  and  carefully  cul- 
tivated, as  tending  to  keep  them  robust,  healthy,  and  exempt 
from  the  attacks  of  insects.  Because  no  remedy  has  yet  been 
discovered  for  rust  on  the  raspberry  and  blackberry,  in  does  not 
follow  that  nothing  can  be  done  to  check  the  spread  of  it. 
There  can  be  no  danger  of  injuring  the  diseased  plants,  and 
experiments  may  be  safely  tried,  and  should  not  be  neglected. 

One  writer  says  that  after  other  remedies  had  failed,  he  used 
strong  soapsuds,  adding  a  handful  of  salt  to  a  pailful  of  water. 
The  plants  were  almost  entirely  covered  with  rust,  and  were 
sprinkled  thoroughly,  and  the  application  repeated  after  two 
days.  In  less  than  a  week  the  plants  were  bright,  and  growing 
finely,  showing  no  signs  of  the  disease.  Mr.  A.  S.  Fuller  says 
that  uan  application  of  lime,  salt,  or  some  similar  substance 


75 

may  check  the  disease,  but  I  know  of  no  remedy  except  that  of 
rooting  up  every  affected  plant  and  burning  it."  Mr.  Charles 
Downing  recommended  the  same  course. 

The  rust  has  only  occasionally  attacked  a  single  plant  on  my 
grounds,  but  if  it  should  make  its  appearance  to  any  extent,  I 
would  try  the  following  preparation  :  Place  one  peck  of  quick- 
lime and  two  pounds  of  sulphur  in  a  tight  cask,  and  slack  the 
lime  with  hot  water,  covering  the  cask  with  an  old  rug  to  pre- 
vent the  escape  of  steam.  After  cooling  off,  fill  up  the  cask 
with  cold  water,  and  stir  the  contents  thoroughly.  The  sedi- 
ment will  soon  settle,  leaving  a  clear  yellowish  liquid  at  the  top. 
If  thought  too  strong,  the  lime  and  sulphur  mixture  may  be 
reduced,  using  only  one  or  two  quarts  to  a  bucket  of  water. 
Apply  this  to  the  diseased  plants  with  a  small  hand  force  pump 
or  syringe,  and  repeat  the  application  within  a  week. 

This  has  proved  a  most  effective  remedy  for  rust  on  the  ver- 
bena and  other  green-house  plants,  and  sulphur  alone  is  known 
as  a  specific  for  rust — or  what  amounts  to  about  the  same  thing, 
mildew — on  the  grape.  It  may  be  well  to  experiment  with  car- 
bolic acid,  or  sulphate  of  iron,  in  weak  solution.  The  cultivator 
should  bear  in  mind  the  maxim  that  every  wrong  has  a  remedy, 
and  take  it  upon  himself  to  discover,  if  possible,  what  the 
remedy  is. 


MULBERRIES. 

This  fruit  is  attracting  some  notice  at  the  present  time,  as 
what  is  known  as  the  Russian  mulberry  is  being  unduly  puffed 
by  unscrupulous  nursery  men,  and  pushed  at  extravagant  prices 
by  tree  peddlers  equally  unscrupulous.  The  mulberry-tree 
grows  forty  or  fifty  feet  high,  and  sometimes  three  feet  in 
diameter,  furnishing  a  beautiful  lawn  or  street  tree.  It  is  hardy, 
and  should  be  more  generally  introduced  for  ornamental  purpo- 
ses. The  white  variety  is  well  known  where  the  silk  industry 
has  been  introduced,  as  the  leaves  are  used  for  feeding  the  silk- 
worms. Except  for  shade,  it  is  otherwise  of  no  value. 

All  the  varieties  make  rapid  growth,  and  produce  fruit  when 
not  more  than  four  or  five  feet  high.  For  quality  the  Downing 


76 

is  the  best,  and  yields  an  abundance  of  fruit  for  more  than  three 
months.  The  berries  fall  as  they  ripen,  and  if  the  ground  under 
the  trees  is  not  in  turf,  it  should  be  covered  by  a  clean  mulch  to 
prevent  their  becoming  soiled. 

Thousands  of  the  Russian  mulberry  plants  are  annually  sold, 
many  of  which  are  grown  from  seeds,  and  of  course  are  in  every 
grade  of  quality.  They  can  be  grown  from  cuttings  as  easily 
as  the  willow,  and  the  best  only  should  be  propagated.  Tree 
agents  are  taking  orders  for  small  plants  at  from  one  to  two 
dollars  each,  but  reliable  nursery  men  offer  them  at  twenty-five 
and  fifty  cents.  Birds  are  very  fond  of  the  fruit,  and  it  might 
be  more  extensively  grown  for  their  especial  benefit. 

Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher  says, — "  I  regard  it  as  an  indispen- 
sable addition  to  every  fruit  garden  ;  and  I  speak  what  I  think 
when  I  say  I  had  rather  have  one  tree  of  Downing's  ever-bear- 
ing mulberry  than  a  bed  of  strawberries." 


CURRANTS. 

Plants  of  the  currant  are  easily  multiplied  by  cuttings.  These 
are  made  from  one-year-old  wood  as  soon  as  the  leaves  have 
fallen  in  autumn,  and  at  once  planted  out  in  a  good  sandy  loam. 
The  soil  must  be  well  drained,  as  a  surplus  of  water  on  the  sur- 
face, or  at  the  base  of  the  cutting,  will  prove  fatal.  The  cur- 
rant sheds  its  leaves  quite  early,  and  if  the  cuttings  are  put  in 
immediately,  they  will  callous  over  and  send  out  small  roots,  so 
as  to  make  strong  plants  the  next  year.  If  to  be  grown  in  tree 
form,  all  buds  below  the  surface  should  be  removed  before  the 
cuttings  are  set.  Cuttings  are  usually  made  from  six  to  ten 
inches  long,  but  in  case  the  wood  is  of  some  scarce  and  choice 
variety,  it  may  be  cut  into  lengths  of  three  or  four  inches. 
Those  having  facilities  for  propagating  under  glass  sometimes 
cut  to  single  buds,  and  plant  half  an  inch  deep  in  boxes  of 
sand. 

When  planting  in  trenches,  set  the  cuttings  three  inches  apart, 
and  make  the  soil  around  them  very  firm.  If  many  are  to  be 
propagated,  they  may  be  placed  in  double  or  triple  rows,  and  in 


77 


this  way  will  occupy  much  less  land.  Only  a  sufficient  number 
of  buds  are  to  be  left  above  the  surface  to  form  a  well  balanced 
top.  Some  allow  only  a  single  shoot  to  grow  the  first  year,  in 
which  case  the  branches  will  be  higher  from  the  ground.  When 
cuttings  of  any  kind  are  planted  in  trenches  in  autumn,  they 
will  require  mulching  to  prevent  their  being  thrown  out  by  frost. 
The  advantage  of  growing  the  plants  in  tree  form  is  that  it 
admits  of  clean  and  convenient  cultivation  around  and  under 
them,  while  if  suckers  are  allowed  to  spring  up  from  the  ground, 
as  they  will  when  the  buds  are  not  removed  from  the  base  of  the 
cutting,  grass  and  weeds  are  sure  to  take  possession  and  hold 
their  ground  in  spite  of  the  cultivator's  best  efforts  to  suppress 
them.  Too  many  of  the  shoots  that  spring  up  are  weak  and 
worthless,  and  they  cannot  be  as 
easily  pruned  out  in  forming  the 
top  as  when  trained  in  the  tree  form. 
Fig.  32  is  a  good  representation 
of  a  cutting  when  planted  in  the 
trench,  and  Fig.  33  of  the  same 
when  rooted.  If  properly  made 
and  managed,  not  five  per  cent,  of 
such  cuttings  will  fail. 

The  currant  should  be  pruned  in 
autumn,  and  the  wood  may  be  util- 
ized for  propagating  purposes.  It 
may  be  preserved  in  good  condition 
if  packed  in  damp  sand  or  moss 
Fig.  32.  and  kept  during  winter  in  a  cool 
cellar,  to  be  planted  out  early  in  spring.  Some  propagators- 
prune  in  spring,  and  use  the  cuttings  as  taken  directly  from  the 
old  plants  ;  but  a  larger  per  cent,  will  fail,  and  those  that  root 
will  make  a  comparatively  small  growth.  A  few  evergreen 
boughs  set  on  the  southerly  side  of  the  rows,  so  as  to  give  par- 
tial shade  in  summer,  will  enhance  success. 

For  field-culture,  plant  in  rows  five  feet  apart,  with  the  bushes 
four  feet  distant  in  the  row.  Cultivation  in  spring  is  not  rec- 
ommended, but  if  it  is  given  early,  and  so  shallow  as  not  to  dis- 
turb the  roots,  no  injury  will  result.  Mulching  between  the 
rows  and  under  the  plants  will  do  much  to  suppress  weeds, 


Fig.  33. 


78 

while  it  will  keep  the  ground  cool  and  moist, — a  condition  per- 
fectly suited  to  the  wants  of  the  currant.  A  thorough  cultiva- 
tion should  be  given  in  autumn,  when  the  plants  have  become 
dormant,  working  in  at  the  time  a  liberal  quantity  of  manure. 

Pruning  the  currant  consists  in  thinning  out  all  immature  and 
superfluous  wood,  shortening  the  leading  shoots,  and  removing 
all  decaying  and  mossy  branches  as  the  plant  grows  old.  The 
object  to  be  aimed  at  is  to  admit  light  and  air,  and  at  the  same 
time  reduce  the  bearing  wood  somewhat,  thereby  increasing  the 
.size  and  quality  of  the  fruit. 

As  the  currant  flourishes  in  partial  shade,  it  may  be  planted 
in  line  with  rows  of  pear  or  plum  trees,  and  yield  very  profitable 
returns.  As  has  been  before  stated,  it  must  have  a  generous 
application  of  manure  spread  broadcast  annually.  Ground  bone 
and  wood  ashes  make  a  good  fertilizer,  and  even  coal  ashes  are 
supposed  to  be  of  some  value  as  a  mulch,  if  in  no  other  way. 

The  borer  sometimes  injures  the  plant,  but  among  its  insect 
enemies  the  currant-worm,  known  in  England  as  the  larva  of  the 
magpie  moth  (Abraxas  agrossulariata),  is  most  destructive.  It 
is  equally  injurious  to  the  currant  and  gooseberry,  and  such  has 
been  its  ravages  that  the  growing  of  these  fruits  has,  in  many 
localities,  been  abandoned.  It  is  an  imported  pest,  and,  accord- 
ing to  Mr.  Roe,  made  its  appearance  at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  in 
1857.  This  is  the  insect  figured  by  Mr.  Fuller  and  Mr.  Roe, 
but  Mrs.  Treat,  in  her  valuable  work  on  "Injurious  Insects," 
speaks  of  the  imported  currant-worm  (^Ematus  ventricosus)  as 
"  the  larva  of  the  saw-fly,  of  the  order  Hymenoptera,  called  false 
caterpillars,  as  they  never  have  less  than  six,  sometimes  as 
many  as  eight,  pairs  of  pro-legs,  while  the  true  caterpillars  never 
have  more  than  five  pairs. " 

The  insects  appear  almost  as  soon  as  the  currant  and  goose- 
berry are  in  leaf,  and  lay  their  eggs  upon  the  under  side  of  the 
leaves  in  regular  rows.  The  books  say  that  the  worm  appears 
in  June — rather  indefinite  ;  but  I  am  assured  by  an  intelligent 
observer  that  they  appear  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston  from  the 
12th  to  the  16th  of  May,  the  second  brood  about  the  25th  of 
May,  and  a  third  from  the  15th  to  the  20th  of  June.  I  found 
them  full  grown  this  year  (1885)  on  gooseberry  bushes  in  my 
grounds,  June  1. 


79 


Fig.  34  shows  the  perfect 
insect,  a  being  the  male  and  b 
the  female,  the  lines  repre- 
senting the  size  with  wings 
expanded.  The  eggs  hatch  in 
from  six  to  ten  days,  and  the 
worm  immediately  commences 
feeding  upon  the  leaves.  The 
caterpillars  increase  in  size  rap- 
idly until  they  are  three  fourths 
of  an  inch  long.  When  full 
grown  they  pass  down  into  the 
ground  and  spin  brownish  co- 
coons, and  assume  the  pupa 
state.  They  again  leave  the 


Fig.  34. 


ground  in  about  two  weeks  in  the  form  of  perfect  insects,  and 
lay  a  second  crop  of  eggs  from  which  a  second  brood  is  hatched, 
which  pass  the  pupa  state  in  the  ground,  where  they  remain  till 
the  following  spring.  It  is  said  that  the  fly  lives  about  nine 
days.  The  worms 
when  first  hatched  are 
of  a  pale  color,  soon, 
however,  becoming 
green,  with  a  black 
head  and  shining  black 
spots  on  each  side  of 
the  body.  Fig  35  rep- 
resents the  worm  in 
different  stages  of  de- 
velopment feeding 
upon  the  leaves  of  the 
gooseberry,  and  b  rep- 
resents the  spots  on  a 
magnified  joint  of  the 
body.  The  worm  is  not  often  discovered  until  its  work  of  de- 
struction attracts  attention,  and  its  work  is  so  rapid  that  a  plant 
may  be  entirely  divested  of  foliage  in  forty-eight  hours.  The 
importance  of  a  daily  examination  of  currant  and  gooseberry 
bushes,  at  the  season  when  the  worm  is  likely  to  appear,  is  quite 
apparent. 


Fig.  35. 


80 


But  if  the  worm  disposes  of  our  currant  crop  in  a  summary 
way,  it  is  fortunate  that  we  are  able  to  rid  ourselves  of  the 
worm  in  an  equally  summary  manner.  A  tablespoonful  of 
powdered  white  hellebore  (veratrum  album)  to  a  pailful  of 
water,  well  mixed,  and  applied  with  a  watering  can  having  a 
fine  sprinkler,  will  end  the  career  of  the  currant-worm  in  a  very 
short  time.  The  powder  may  be  dusted  over  the  bushes  when 
wet,  and  will  prove  equally  effective.  It  should  be  understood 
that  this  article  is  a  poison,  and  should  be  used  with  care,  and 
kept  beyond  the  reach  of  children  and  valuable  animals.  It  is 
not  as  dangerous  as  Paris  green,  and  as  it  soon  loses  strength 
it  is  often  quite  harmless  when  first  purchased,  and  of  no  value 
as  a  destroyer  of  insects.  Be  sure  to  get  a  pure  article  from 
some  reliable  druggist,  and  keep  it  excluded  from  the  air.  It  is 
washed  from  the  plants  by  the  first  rain,  long  before  the  fruit 
will  be  fit  to  use. 

There  are  but  few  varieties  of  the  currant  in  cultivation,  and 
only  one  of  any  note  of  American  origin.  It  is  fortunate  that 
we  are  not  obliged  to  make  a  selection  from  a  hundred  sorts,  as- 
in  case  of  the  strawberry. 

The  old  Red  and  White  Dutch  are  very  productive,  and  are 
standard  varieties  as  to  quality,  but  they  are  not  equal  in  size  to- 
the  Cherry,  Versailles,  and  White  Grape. 
These  last  named  are  more  extensively 
grown  at  the  present  time  than  any  other. 
The  Cherry  and  Versailles  are  hardly  dis- 
tinguishable, and  whoever  has  either  need 
not  go  to  the  trouble  and  expense  of  pur- 
chasing the  other.    The  Cherry  is  thought 
by  some  to  give  the 
larger  berries,  while 
the   Versailles   pro- 
duces  the   larger 
bunches.     Fay's 
Fig.  36.  Prolific,  Fig.  36,  is 

a  new  American  currant,  and  claimed  to  be  twice  as  productive 
as  any  other  variety.  It  is  undoubtedly  very  promising,  but 
the  plants  have  always  been  held  at  too  high  a  price  to  admit 
of  its  being  extensively  planted.  Dana's  Transparent  is  one 


81 

of  the  finest  white  currants.  The  Belgian  is  late  and  con- 
tinues long  in  bearing,  and  as  it  lengthens  the  season  two  or 
three  weeks  it  is  valuable  for  this  purpose.  The  Black  Naples 
and  Lee's  Prolific  are  the  only  two  black  currants  named  in  the 
catalogues,  and  what  use  any  civilized  being  can  make  of  either 
it  is  impossible  to  imagine.  But  the  rank  and  musky  odor  of 
the  leaves,  wood,  and  fruit,  that  is  so  disagreeable  to  me,  is 
thought  by  others  to  be  delightful.  Truly  there  is  no  account- 
ing for  tastes — culinary. 

No  fruit  will  pay  better  for  the  care  bestowed  in  its  cultiva- 
tion than  the  currant.  It  meets  with  less  competition  in  market 
than  most  other  small  fruits,  and  there  is  not  the  same  occasion 
for  haste  in  gathering  and  disposing  of  the  crop  as  in  case  of 
the  strawberry  and  raspberry.  The  fruit  may  remain  on  the 
bushes  for  weeks  after  coloring,  if  not  stolen  by  the  birds,  and 
thereby  be  improved  for  all  uses  except  for  jellies,  for  which 
purpose  it  should  be  picked  before  it  becomes  over-ripe.  The 
same  is  true  of  the  grape  and  other  fruits,  and  for  want  of  this 
knowledge  many  a  good  housewife  fails  to  make  the  jelly 
"  come." 

The  currant  does  not  require  to  be  renewed  every  five  or  six 
years,  as  some  suppose,  but  with  proper  treatment,  such  as 
pruning,  cultivation,  and  manuring,  will  continue  to  yield  good 
crops  for  a  long  time.  The  plants  may  be  set  in  fall  or  spring. 
The  buds  push  early,  and  if  transplanting  is  delayed  till  late  in 
May,  but  little  growth  will  be  made  ;  while  if  set  in  autumn,  as 
soon  as  the  leaves  fall,  they  will  become  well  established  before 
the  ground  freezes,  and  be  ready  for  an  early  growth. 

The  proper  age  for  plants  is  one  or  two  years  from  the  cut- 
ting. I  should  prefer  plants  of  one  year,  if  of  first  quality,  to 
those  of  two  years  of  second  quality.  There  is  little  danger  in 
transplanting  the  currant,  even  though  the  plant  contains  but 
few  roots,  as  new  roots  form  readily  under  favorable  conditions. 
The  work  of  setting  requires  less  skill  than  with  many  other 
plants,  though  extra  care  will  be  well  repaid,  and  should  never 
be  neglected.  As  every  part  of  the  plant  will  emit  roots  when 
placed  in  contact  with  the  soil,  there  is  no  objection  to  planting 
the  bush  three  or  four  inches  deeper  than  it  stood  in  the  cutting- 
bud. 

6 


82 

The  currant  may  easily  be  grown  from  seeds  ;  but  this  is  not 
advisable,  except  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  new  and  better 
varieties.  There  is  a  wide  field  for  improvement  in  this  direc- 
tion. A  large  per  cent,  of  seedlings  will  be  inferior  to  the  old 
standard  varieties,  but  this  should  not  deter  us  from  making  an 
effort  for  something  better.  Some  bushes  will  be  found  to  pro- 
duce finer  fruit  and  more  abundant  crops  every  year  than  others 
near  by  of  the  same  variety,  and  seeds  should  always  be  selected 
from  the  best  bunches  of  fruit  produced  by  these  plants.  Wash 
out  the  seeds  when  perfectly  ripe,  and  pack  them  away  in  a  cool 
place,  treating  them  the  same  as  any  small  vegetable  or  flower 
seeds  should  be  treated.  Sow  them  in  spring  as  soon  as  the 
ground  is  in  suitable  condition,  cover  about  half  an  inch  deep, 
and  make  the  soil  over  them  firm  with  the  back  of  a  spade. 
When  the  seeds  have  been  kept  diy  for  several  months,  they  will 
vegetate  sooner  if  soaked  in  tepid  water  for  forty-eight  hours 
before  planting.  The  seeds  may  be  mixed  with  sand  as  soon  as 
washed  out,  and  placed  in  pots  or  boxes  and  buried  in  some 
cool  shady  place.  They  should  be  allowed  to  remain  frozen  up 
until  the  proper  time  for  planting  out  in  spring.  The  young 
seedlings  should  be  carefully  cultivated,  and  transplanted  the 
second  year  into  trial  beds  for  testing  their  value. 


GOOSEBERRIES. 

(Ribes  grossularia. ) 

Having  given  pretty  full  directions  for  growing  the  currant,  it 
will  be  unnecessary  to  say  much  under  this  head,  as  the  condi- 
tions required  for  the  successful  cultivation  of  the  one  apply 
with  equal  force  to  the  other.  They  both  thrive  in  a  strong, 
rather  moist  soil,  and  in  a  cool,  half-shady  location.  Both 
demand  a  liberal  application  of  manure,  and  protection  from 
the  same  insect  enemies. 

The  gooseberry  is  not  as  easily  propagated  as  the  currant,  in- 
asmuch as  the  cuttings  do  not  strike  root  with  the  same  facil- 
ity. For  this  reason  the  plants  are  usually  increased  by  layers. 
Layering  consists  simply  in  bending  down  and  covering  the 


83 

branches  with  soil,  and  mulching  to  preserve  moisture  during 
the  season  of  growth.  In  this  way  they  root  easily,  and  the 
rooted  branches  may  be  cut  from  the  parent  plant  in  the  fall,  or 
allowed  to  remain  until  the  following  spring,  when  they  may  be 
at  once  planted  out. 

Most  varieties  are  inclined  to  form  very  low,  almost  trailing, 
bushes,  sending  out  branches  near  the  ground.  As  roots  push 
wherever  the  wood  comes  in  contact  with  moist  soil,  nursery 
men  take  advantage  of  this  peculiarity  of  the  plant  to  increase 
their  stock.  They  have  only  to  bank  up  their  bushes  above  the 
intersection  of  the  branches,  when  each  will  send  out  roots,  and, 
when  cut  loose,  form  a  strong,  independent  plant. 

We  have  but  few  varieties  of  native  gooseberries,  and  such  as 
we  have  are  much  inferior  to  foreign  sorts.  Great  attention  has 
been  given  in  European  countries  to  the  improvement  of  this 
fruit  by  growing  new  varieties  from  seeds,  so  that  they  can  now 
count  them  by  the  hundred,  while  we  have  only  five  or  six  worth 
naming.  Here,  then,  is  even  a  wider  field  open  for  improve- 
ment than  with  the  currant.  There  is  the  greater  occasion  for 
effort  in  this  direction  as  the  foreign  varieties  can  seldom  be 
successfully  grown  in  this  country,  owing  to  their  liability  to 
mildew.  We  are  forced,  however  unwillingly,  to  rely  upon 
natives,  poor  as  they  are,  as  the  seedlings  of  foreign  sorts, 
though  grown  in  this  climate,  have  thus  far  proved  entirely  un- 
reliable. 

The  American  Pomological  Catalogue  for  1883  names  only 
six  native  gooseberries  worthy  of  cultivation, — Downing,  Hough- 
ton,  Mountain,  Orange,  Pale  Red,  and  Smith's  ;  and  only  three 
from  the  long  list  of  foreign  sorts, — Crown  Bob,  Roaring  Lion, 
and  Whitesmith.  These  last  named  will  only  succeed  in  skilful 
hands  under  the  most  favorable  conditions. 

As  before  intimated,  mildew  is  the  great  obstacle  to  the  culti- 
vation of  the  foreign  gooseberry  :  neither  the  foliage  nor  the 
fruit  will  endure  our  climate.  A  cool,  moist,  half-shady  situa- 
tion, close  pruning,  high  manuring,  and  the  free  use  of  sulphur, 
are  the  only  conditions  under  which  success  is  sure.  Like  the 
currant,  all  gooseberries  delight  in  a  spot  where  they  are  pro- 
tected from  the  direct  rays  of  our  scorching  sun  and  drying 
winds.  Set  on  the  north  side  of  buildings  or  fences,  or  in  pear 


84 

or  plum  orchards,  where  the  shade  is  not  too  dense,  they  seem 
to  be  at  home.  In  such  locations  some  of  the  English  varieties 
have  been  successfully  grown.  Mr.  Benjamin  G.  Smith,  who 
has  often  been  a  successful  competitor  for  the  prizes  offered  by 
the  Massachusetts  Horticultural  Society,  names  as  the  best  of 
the  English  gooseberries,  Woodward's  Whitesmith,  Wellington's 
Glory,  Glenton  Green,  and  Yellow  Amber  :  and  of  native  vari- 
eties, Downing  and  Smith's  Seedling.  The  Houghton  originated 
in  Lynn,  Mass.,  with  Mr.  Abel  Houghton.  It  is  very  hardy  and 
productive,  but  rather  small  for  a  popular  market  sort. 

Gooseberries  should  be  set  in  rows  five  feet  apart,  and  the 
plants  three  feet  apart  in  the  rows.  If  any  cultivation  is  given 
in  spring,  it  should  be  shallow  and  very  early,  as  any  disturb- 
ance of  the  roots  at  this  season  is  thought  to  be  injurious,  and 
all  cultivation  later  than  August  has  a  tendency  to  cause  a 
growth  of  immature  wood  that  is  liable  to  be  injured  in  winter. 
To  avoid  the  same  result,  no  manure  should  be  applied  in  the 
fall  until  the  plants  have  ceased  to  grow.  Coal  ashes  have  been 
recommended  for  currant  and  gooseberry  bushes,  and  when 
mixed  with  about  ninety-nine  per  cent,  of  wood  ashes,  they  are 
undoubtedly  of  great  value. 


THE   CEANBEEEY. 

(  Vaccinium  macrocarpon . ) 

Few  fruits  will  better  repay  the  enterprise  and  skill  of  the 
intelligent  cultivator  than  the  cranberry.  It  grows  and  thrives 
best  on  land  entirely  worthless  for  any  other  purpose.  A 
natural  peat-bog,  wet  meadow,  or  morass,  if  properly  prepared, 
and  kept  clean  until  the  vines  become  established,  will  continue 
productive  for  an  indefinite  period.  Instances  may  be  found  of 
bogs  planted  thirty,  and  even  fifty,  years  ago,  on  Cape  Cod  and 
in  New  Jersey,  that  still  yield  profitable  crops. 

The  vines  require  no  manure,  though  fertilizers  have,  in  a 
few  cases,  been  applied  with  apparent  benefit.  The  gradual  and 
constant  decay  of  the  vegetable  substances  of  which  such  soils 
are  composed,  with  the  sediment  precipitated  by  the  annual  in- 


85 

undation  which  the  plants  require,  will  furnish  an  abundant 
supply  of  nutriment  for  both  foliage  and  fruit. 

There  are  thousands  of  acres  in  sections  of  the  country 
adapted  to  this  fruit,  lying  worse  than  idle,  that  could  be  easily 
transformed  into  cranberry  meadows,  and  made  to  yield  a 
greater  profit  than  the  best  upland  in  other  farm  crops.  A 
swamp  covered  with  alders,  dogwood,  laurel,  water-bushes,  and 
brambles,  or  almost  any  wet  meadow,  will  answer  for  cranberries, 
except  those  where  clay  and  drift  abound.  On  such  soil,  fail- 
ure is  almost  certain  to  follow  the  best  efforts  for  success. 

In  selecting  a  plot  for  a  cranberry  meadow,  the  facilities  for 
flowing  must  be  carefully  observed.  Water  is  one  of  the  first 
requisites.  The  owner  of  a  bog  having  complete  control  of 
water,  may  feel  reasonably  sure  of  a  paying  crop,  while  his 
neighbor,  having  all  the  other  requisites,  may  fail  three  times  in 
four  for  the  want  of  it.  If  the  cranberry  could  be  grown  in 
localities  exempt  from  frost,  and  where  the  cranberry  worm  is 
unknown,  flooding  the  bed  might  be  dispensed  with  ;  but  peat- 
bogs are  always  found  in  low,  frosty  localities,  and  the  vine 
worm  is  as  sure  to  find  a  cranberry  meadow  as  is  a  Colorado 
beetle  the  potato  field.  If  the  bog  is  so  situated  that  a  reservoir 
can  be  constructed  above,  from  which  water  can  be  let  down 
suddenly,  it  will  be  of  great  advantage  in  case  of  early  frosts  in 
autumn. 

Much  has  been  said  and  written  in  years  past  about  growing 
cranberries  on  high  land  ;  but  all  of  the  so-called  successful 
experiments  have  turned  out  failures.  It  would  be  difficult  to 
find  an  instance  where  any  one  has  been  able  to  produce  profit- 
able crops  on  upland  for  a  series  of  years.  The  crops  have 
been  destroyed  by  insects  and  frost.  Those  who  wish  to  en- 
gage in  cranberry  culture,  will  find  a  tract  of  low,  level  ground, 
and  an  abundant  supply  of  water,  indispensable. 

If  the  meadow  or  swamp  is  filled  with  water,  the  first  work 
after  clearing  the  surface  will  be  to  cut  ditches  through  the 
middle  and  around  the  margin,  with  cross  ditches  at  suitable 
intervals,  so  that  the  surplus  water  can  be  drawn  eighteen 
inches  below  the  surface  at  pleasure. 

A  dam  will  be  required  at  the  lowest  point  of  the  meadow, 
with  flood-gates  high  enough  to  raise  the  water  eighteen  inches 


86 

over  the  entire  surface.  A  much  more  shallow  covering  of 
water  would  suffice  for  most  purposes,  but,  if  only  a  few  inches 
deep,  the  vines  would  be  frozen  into  the  ice  in  winter,  and,  in 
case  of  freshets,  the  ice  might  lift  and  break  the  vines,  and  dam- 
age the  meadow. 

A  third  requisite  will  be  a  good  and  convenient  supply  of  pure 
sand  or  gravel  with  which  to  cover  the  surface  of  the  bog  from 
three  to  eight  inches  deep.  The  depth  of  sand  required  will 
depend  upon  the  depth  of  the  peat — the  more  peat  the  more 
sand.  In  some  instances  as  much  as  twelve  inches  has  been 
applied,  but  in  most  cases  from  three  to  five  inches  will  be  suffi- 
cient. A  meadow  thinly  sanded  will  give  a  crop  of  fruit 
sooner,  but  it  will  continue  productive  longer  when  the  applica- 
tion is  thicker.  For  this  reason,  some  cover  only  two  or  three 
inches  at  first,  and  repeat  the  application  as  required.  In  the 
first  instance,  the  sand  is  moved  from  the  margin  or  bank  to  the 
bog  on  small  flat  cars  and  movable  wooden  tracks,  if  the  area  is 
large,  but  barrows  and  plank  runs  answer  very  well  for  small 
plots.  The  most  convenient  method,  however,  is  to  flow  the 
meadow,  and  spread  the  sand  evenly  on  the  ice  in  winter. 

Occasionally  a  meadow  may  be  found  that  can  be  turned  with 
the  plow,  and  harrowed  after  it  has  been  drained.  This  will 
save  much  expense  in  the  preparation  ;  but  if  the  land  is  filled 
with  stumps,  or  covered  with  bushes,  plowing  will  be  found  im- 
practicable, and  grubbing — a  much  more  expensive  method — 
must  be  adopted. 

All  elevations  must  be  cut  down,  and  the  sods  and  soil  used 
for  filling  depressions,  so  as  to  make  the  whole  surface  as  level 
as  possible.  The  brush,  and  all  combustible  substances,  may 
be  piled  and  burnt  on  the  ground,  while  bogs  and  tussocks  may 
be  utilized  in  the  construction  of  dikes  and  dams.  If  removed 
and  piled  on  the  margin  of  the  upland,  they  will  soon  decay 
and  become  valuable  for  use  in  the  compost  heap  and  as  an 
absorbent.  Their  value  for  this  purpose  will  repay,  at  least  in 
part,  the  cost  of  removal. 

In  order  that  the  bog  may  be  covered  with  water  in  winter  to 
a  uniform  depth,  it  must  be  graded  to  a  level,  or  so  as  to  hare 
only  a  slight  inclination  towards  the  ditches.  If  there  is  much 
slope  the  upper  portions  could  only  be  covered  by  constructing 


8T 

a  high  and  expensive  dam.  The  object  of  flowing  is  to  protect 
the  plants  in  winter,  the  flowers  from  late  frosts  in  spring,  the 
immature  fruit  from  early  frosts  in  autumn,  and  both  plants  and 
fruit  from  the  ravages  of  the  worms  that  injure  and  sometimes 
destroy  the  crop. 

To  prevent  destruction  by  the  vine-worm,  or  fire- worm  as  it 
is  sometimes  called,  the  meadow  must  be  kept  flowed  in  New 
England  till  near  the  first  of  June.  This  worm  is  the  larva  of  a 
moth  (Anchylopera  vacciniana)  which  feeds  upon  the  foliage, 
and  gives  it  the  appearance  of  having  been  scorched  by  fire  : 
hence  the  name,  fire-worm.  The  egg  is  deposited  in  autumn,  or 
early  in  spring,  on  the  underside  of  the  leaf,  and  hatches  in 
Massachusetts  about  the  20th  of  May.  The  larva  is  effectually 
destroyed  by  flooding  the  vines.  The  fruit-worm  is  also  the 
larva  of  a  moth,  but  of  a  species  not  yet  fully  identified.  It 
enters  the  berry  and  eats  out  the  inside,  leaving  nothing  but  a 
thin  shell.  Its  presence  is  indicated  by  the  premature  coloring 
of  the  fruit. 

As  there  are  but  few  bogs  that  can  be  flowed  at  short  notice, 
the  cranberry  culturist  will  often  find  his  efforts  baffled  by  insect 
enemies,  and  his  hopes  disappointed.  In  flowing  for  protection 
from  insects,  and  spring  and  autumn  frosts,  the  depth  of  water 


Fig.  37. 

need  be  only  sufficient  to  cover  the  plants.  It  should  be  borne 
in  mind  that  water  must  not  be  allowed  to  remain  on  the  vines 
when  in  flower  for  more  than  twenty-four  hours,  as  it  will  injure 
the  pollen,  and  in  consequence  the  crop  may  be  ruined. 

SELECTING    PLANTS. 

There  are  three  varieties  of  the  cranberry  distinguished  by 
their  form  as  shown  in  Fig.  37— the  bell,  bugle,  and  cherry,  the 
last  named  being  the  most  common.  On  Cape  Cod,  where  this 


88 

fruit  is  extensively  grown,  they  have  two  varieties  differing  in 
size  and  season, — one  early,  but  rather  small,  and  the  other  larger 
and  later.  The  small  berry  is  heavy,  being  mostly  solid,  while 
some  of  the  larger  and  more  showy  fruit  is  hollow,  and  shrinks 
more  in  cooking.  The  Cape  cranberry  is  high-colored,  keeps 
well,  and  commands  the  highest  price  in  market.  The  extra 
color  is  probably  owing  to  climatic  influences  peculiar  to  that 
particular  locality  more  than  to  any  difference  in  variety.  The 
American  cranberry  is  larger  than  the  European,  of  much  supe- 
rior flavor,  and  of  a  darker  color. 

It  is  very  important  in  selecting  plants  to  obtain  those  that 
are  productive.  Many  bogs  yield  very  little  fruit,  and  that  of 
an  inferior  quality,  being  wanting  in  size  and  color.  All  such 
plants  should  be  rejected.  It  will  pay  to  examine  different 
meadows  in  the  fruiting  season,  and  make  a  selection  of  plants 
from  such  as  produce  large  crops  of  the  most  attractive  fruit. 
The  first  inquiry  of  the  purchaser  is  sure  to  be,  Are  the  berries 
large  and  high-colored? 

SETTING   THE    PLANTS. 

The  best  time  for  transplanting  is  in  May  or  June.  The  rows 
should  be  straight,  and  some  are  particular  to  have  them  run 
both  ways,  and  mark  off  the  bed  into  check-rows,  with  a  com- 
mon garden-marker.  The  plants  are  set  from  one  to  two  feet 
apart  each  way  :  the  nearer  they  are  set  the  sooner  they  will 
cover  the  ground. 

The  bed  should  be  kept  clean  for  at  least  three  years,  by 
which  time  the  vines  will  have  become  so  thick  as  to  choke  out 
all  other  vegetation.  The  labor  of  cultivation  will  be  somewhat 
expensive,  but  when  the  rows  are  straight,  a  small  hand  cultiva- 
tor or  slide  hoe  can  be  run  very  close  to  the  plants,  and  save 
much  hand-weeding. 

The  vines  strike  root  from  every  joint  that  touches  the  ground, 
and  in  setting,  the  plants  are  simply  pressed  into  the  sand,  quite 
down  to  the  peat,  by  any  blunt  implement,  and  the  sand  made 
firm  around  them.  Pieces  of  vine,  only  a  few  inches  long,  may 
be  planted,  three  or  four  in  a  hill,  at  each  angle  where  the  check- 
rows cross,  and  will  take  root  and  grow  as  well  as  entire  plants. 
As  the  cranberry  is  inclined  to  trail,  it  should  be  set  at  an  incli- 


89 

nation  rather  than  perpendicularly,  as  it  will  sucker  up  better 
and  sooner  cover  the  ground.  Some  bogs  are  set  in  a  hap- 
hazard way,  without  regard  to  distance  or  rows  ;  but  all  such 
planting  is  likely  to  be  followed  by  careless  cultivation,  and  is 
properly  known  as  the  slipshod  method. 

But  little  fruit  need  be  expected  before  the  third  year  from 
planting,  after  which  it  will  increase  rapidly  if  all  the  conditions 
are  favorable.  In  many  experiments  it  has  been  found  that  the 
expense  and  income  account  will  just  about  balance  the  fourth 
year. 

The  first  cost  of  preparing  a  cranberry  bog  will  depend  very 
much  upon  the  condition  in  which  it  is  found  at  the  commence- 
ment. If  covered  by  a  growth  of  trees,  or  if  filled  with  stumps 
where  wood  has  been  recently  cut,  the  work  of  fitting  up  will  be 
expensive.  But  if  it  is  merely  necessary  to  turn  the  sod  with  a 
plow,  or  remove  it  with  heavy  hoes  made  for  the  purpose,  and  if 
located  near  suitable  sand  deposits,  the  cost  will  be  compara- 
tiveh'  small.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  the  expense  will  vary  from 
two  to  five  hundred  dollars  an  acre  ;  and  that,  under  favorable 
circumstances,  the  cultivator  may  reasonably  expect  a  return  of 
his  investment  in  four  or  five  years. 

PROFITS    OF   THE    CROP. 

Cranberry  culture,  when  conducted  intelligently,  is  no  longer 
a  speculative  business.  In  many  localities  it  has  become  per- 
manent and  profitable.  A  good  meadow,  in  a  bearing  condition, 
is  readily  worth  $1,000  per  acre.  A  bushel  to  a  square  rod  is 
not  an  uncommon  yield,  and  a  single  rod  has  been  reported  as 
yielding  more  than  six  bushels,  or  at  the  rate  of  over  nine  hun- 
dred bushels  to  an  acre.  One  hundred  bushels  per  acre  is  called 
a  good  average  crop.  But  there  will  be  many  failures  in  grow- 
ing cranberries,  as  with  all  other  fruits. 

PICKING    THE    FRUIT. 

The  fruit  was  formerly  gathered  by  rakes,  but  is  now  mostly 
picked  by  hand.  The  work  is  done  mainly  by  women  and  chil- 
dren, at  a  cost  of  about  fifty  cents  per  bushel.  When  the  rows 
are  visible,  each  picker  is  confined  strictly  to  his  row  ;  but  if  the 
bed  has  become  one  solid  mat,  plots  are  staked  off  containing 


90 

only  a  few  square  rods,  one  of  which  is  assigned  to  each  per- 
son employed. 

COLORING   AND    CLEANING. 

Of  course  all  fruit  will  be  unfit  for  packing  as  it  comes  from 
the  field,  as  there  will  be  more  or  less  imperfect  berries,  and 
also  grass  and  leaves,  that  must  be  removed.  The  fruit  is  usu- 
ally spread  five  or  six  inches  deep  on  some  floor  in  a  shady 
place,  where  it  remains  for  a  few  weeks  to  color.  It  should  be 
stirred  occasionally,  so  that  all  the  berries  may  be  at  some  time 
exposed  to  the  air.  When  well  colored  they  are  passed  through 
a  fan-mill  to  remore  all  light  substances,  and  finally  all  imper- 
fect berries  are  removed  by  hand-picking.  All  sound  fruit  will 
assume  a  fine  color  by  keeping,  and  will  command  a  ready  sale 
and  the  best  prices.  As  it  is  always  in  demand  for  exportation, 
there  is  little  danger  of  overproduction  and  an  overstocked  mar- 
ket. 


IMPLEMENTS. 

It  would  be  useless  to  give  illustrations  of,  or  even  describe, 
the  numerous  plows,  cultivators,  and  harrows  in  common  use. 
There  are  so  many,  any  one  of  which  will  do  good  work,  that  it 
is  only  necessary  to  visit  some  agricultural  warehouse  and  make 
a  selection.  Inventors  gladly  send  out  their  plows  for  trial,  to 
be  returned  in  case  they  prove  imperfect  or  unsuitable. 

Unless  the  land  is  so  flat  as  to  require  laying  up  into  beds,  the 
reversible  plow  is  preferable  to  a  land-side.  The  lifting  sub- 
soiler  is  very  serviceable  for  running  in  the  furrow  of  the  sur- 
face plow,  loosening  but  not  bringing  to  the  surface  the  subsoil 
to  the  depth  of  from  five  to  ten  inches,  as  may  be  thought  advis- 
able. This  will  save  much  labor  with  the  spade  and  fork.  Plant- 
ing on  soil  made  deep  in  either  way  will  often  protect  a  crop 
from  the  effects  of  a  sharp  drought  in  July  and  August,  just 
when  it  is  coming  to  maturity. 

For  pulverizing  rough  ground,  and  for  cutting  and  covering 
coarse  manure  applied  to  the  surface,  there  is  nothing  equal  to 
the  Acme  and  Disc  harrows.  If,  however,  the  manure  has  been 


91 


applied  with  the  Kemp  manure  spreader,  it  will  be  in  very  fine 
condition,  however  lumpy  it  may  have  come  from  the  stable. 

In  taking  up  plants  of  the  raspberry,  blackberry,  etc.,  where 
the  roots  must  be  cut  at  a  proper  length,  a  heavy  spade,  ground 
sharp,  will  be  required,  but  for  loosening  the  soil  around  plants, 
and  in  spots  that  cannot  be  reached  by  the  plow  or  cultivator, 
the  digging  fork  is  the  best  of  all  implements.  If  the  tines 
come  in  contact  with  roots,  they  slide  by  without  doing  injury  ; 
but  if  the  spade  is  used,  the  roots  are  cut  at  every  thrust. 

The  pronged  hoe,  slide  or  scuffle  hoe  (Fig. 42),  and  steel  garden 
rake  are  all  serviceable.  For  loosening  the  surface  soil  and  des- 
stroying  small  weeds, — and  large  weeds  ought  not  to  be  tolerated, 


Fig.  39 


—any  one  of  them  is  preferable  to  the  common  blade  hoe.   When 

deep  cultivation  is  not  required,  much  more  and  better  work  can 

be  done  in  the  same  time  than 

with    any    other    implements. 

In  cleaning  out  weeds  around 

small  plants,  just  as  they  are  Fig.  4i. 

breaking  through  the  surface,  the  hand-weeders  (Figs.  38,  39, 

and  40)   are  very  effective;   and   in  transplanting  strawberry 

plants,  the  garden  reel  and  line  (Fig.  43),  trowel,  and  strawberry 

fork  (Fig.  41)   are  indispensable.     Hedge  shears  are  best  for 

shortening  the  new  growth  of  the  raspberry  and  blackberry,  and 

long-handled  primers  to  cut  out  the  old  canes. 


92 


The  enterprising  cultivator  of  small  fruits  will  find  it  for  his 
interest  to  keep  his  workmen  well  supplied  with  the  best  labor- 
saving  implements,  and  require  that  they  be  handled  with  care, 
and  returned  to  the  tool-room  clean  when  not  in  use. 

As  a  last  word,  I  would  say  that  a  judicious  selection  of  va- 
rieties, the  adaptation  of  soil  and]  situation,  thorough  cultiva- 
tion, high  manuring,  and  proper  training  are  the  secrets  of  suc- 
cess in  growing  small  fruits. 


Fig.  42. 


Fig.  43. 


GRAPE  CULTURE. 


Many  entertain  the  opinion  that  grapes  cannot  be  success- 
fully grown,  except  it  be  a  single  vine,  here  and  there,  in  some 
favored  locality.  Certain  they  are  that  it  is  useless  to  attempt 
to  grow  grapes  for  market  in  the  Eastern  and  Northern  states. 
Both  these  notions  are  erroneous,  having  been  formed  some 
years  ago,  when  the  Isabella  and  Catawba  were  the  only  hardy 
out-door  grapes  to  be  found  in  the  catalogues.  The  Isabella 
originated  in  South  Carolina,  and  is  seldom  grown  to  perfection 
in  the  latitude  of  New  England,  and  the  Catawba  requires  too 
long  a  season.  Those  who  judge  of  the  possibilities  from  what 
they  know  of  these  varieties,  are  not  up  with  the  times.  They 
forget,  if  they  ever  knew,  that  the  new  varieties  have  shortened 
the  required  season  at  least  a  month. 

A  knowledge  of  the  best  treatment  for  bringing  the  fruit  to 
early  maturity  will  aid  the  grower  still  more,  and  a  selection  of 
a  proper  soil  and  exposure  will  also  tend  to  insure  success.  In 
favorable  localities,  with  suitable  varieties  and  intelligent  cult- 
ure, the  grape  crop  is  as  certain  as  a  crop  of  Indian  corn.  The 
conditions  best  suited  to  each  are  nearly  identical.  There  are  a 
few  fruit-growers  who  are  already  masters  of  the  situation,  and 
are  making  the  grape  and  the  peach  crop  very  remunerative. 
Inquirers  and  converts  are  rapidly  increasing. 

New  England  is  on  the  extreme  northern  limit  of  grape  cult- 
ure, and  the  grower,  to  succeed,  must  study  and  observe  the 
conditions  of  success  carefully.  Almost  any  man  can  find  spots 
on  his  farm  that  are  practically  a  hundred  miles  north  or  south 
of  his  dwelling-house.  For  the  grape,  choose  the  spot  farthest 
south — a  warm,  sandy  loam,  with  a  gentle  slope,  and  southern 


94 

exposure.  If  protected  by  hills  or  belts  of  timber,  all  the  bet- 
ter ;  if  not,  artificial  protection  may  be  furnished  by  planting 
evergreens  at  intervals  to  break  the  force  of  winds  and  storms. 

Heavy  clay  loam,  and  what  is  called  strong,  moist  soil,  are 
unfavorable  for  early  maturity,  and  the  finest  quality  of  the 
grape.  A  soil  that  will  absorb  and  retain  the  sun's  heat  is 
much  to  be  preferred.  There  must  be  natural  or  artificial 
drainage. 

Fruit-growing  seems  to  have  been  one  of  the  earliest  occupa- 
tions of  man,  and,  although  a  little  unpleasantness  arose  from 
the  first  use  of  the  apple,  it  has  always  been  an  attractive  pur- 
suit since  that  time.  There  is  good  reason  to  believe  that  the 
grape  was  born  at  the  same  time  as  the  apple,  as  Eden  could 
not  have  been  the  model  garden  that  it  was, — before  the  devil 
got  in, — in  the  absence  of  this  most  delicious  fruit.  Noah  was 
the  first  in  the  vineyard  business,  and  appears  to  have  had  no 
scruples  about  sampling  the  wine  of  his  own  manufacture. 

There  is  no  fruit  more  desirable  for  home  use,  or  more  easily 
and  cheaply  grown,  than  the  grape,  with  possibly  the  exception 
of  the  strawberry  ;  but  the  vine  has  one  advantage  over  any  of 
the  small  fruit-bearing  plants  that  require  frequent  renewal, 
when  once  planted  it  becomes  a  permanent  institution.  It  will 
live  and  flourish,  with  decent  care,  to  a  very  great  age. 

Many,  doubtless,  are  deterred  from  attempting  to  grow 
grapes  by  reading  the  foolish  directions,  formerly  so  common, 
for  preparing  a  grape  border — trenching  three  feet  deep,  and 
the  bewildering  rules  for  pruning  and  training  the  vines.  I 
contend  that  it  is  better  to  grow  fruits  in  a  "  slip-shod"  way 
rather  than  not  grow  them  at  all. 

Vines  may  be  planted  in  various  localities  on  the  farm,  where 
they  will  occupy  little  or  no  valuable  space,  and  often  such 
spots  will  be  peculiarly  adapted  to  their  wants.  I  have  known 
of  instances  where  the  soil  on  the  south  side  of  ledges  in  the 
open  field  has  been  prepared,  and  along  the  sides  of  stone 
walls  forming  division  fences,  and  grapes  grown  in  great  abun- 
dance. The  sides  of  unsightly  farm  buildings  may  often  be 
utilized  for  this  purpose.  True,  the  clusters  and  berries  thus 
grown  will  not  compare  favorably  in  size  with  those  produced 
on  a  carefully  trained  vine,  and  their  market  value  would  be 


95 

less,  but  for  home  use  such  fruit  is  always  acceptable,  and  of 
considerable  value. 

The  radiation  of  heat  from  a  ledge,  fence,  or  building,  will 
effectually  protect  a  vine  from  early  frosts.  While  nothing 
less  than  a  freeze  will  injure  the  fruit,  yet  repeated  dew  frosts 
will  affect  the  foliage  so  as  to  check  the  process  of  ripening ; 
and,  as  we  often  have  one  or  two  frosty  nights,  followed  by 
weeks  of  fine  "Indian-summer  weather,"  any  available  means 
by  which  we  can  bridge  over  these  cold  waves  becomes  of  vital 
importance. 

When  a  vine  is  planted  by  the  side  of  a  ledge,  any  rude 
trellis  that  will  hold  the  fruit  a  few  inches  above  the  rocks  is  all 
that  will  be  required.  Of  course,  no  skilful  pomologist  would 
think  of  growing  grapes  for  the  market  in  the  way  here  indi- 
cated, but  I  want  to  encourage  every  farmer  to  grow  at  least 
a  few  grapes  in  some  way.  His  sous  will  soon  learn,  and  adopt 
the  best  methods. 

PROPAGATION  OF  THE  GRAPES  BY  BUDS. 

The  vines  of  hardy  varieties  are  easily  propagated  by  single 
buds,  cuttings,  or  layers.  Single  buds  are  cut  from  well 
ripened  wood  of  one  year's  growth  in  form  represented  by  Fig. 
44.  This  cut  is  so  perfect  that  no 
description  seems  necessary.  The 
fall  and  winter  prunings  of  the 
vine  are  reserved  for  cuttings, 
and  only  require  to  be  kept  from  Fig.  44. 

drying  until  the  season  arrives  for  planting  them  out. 

Cut  the  canes  into  convenient  lengths,  say  two  or  three 
feet,  tie  in  bundles  carefully  labelled,  and  place  them  on  the 
cellar  bottom.  If  your  cellar  is  dry,  cover  with  a  damp  cloth. 
Keep  them  as  near  the  condition  they  were  in  when  cut  from  the 
vine  as  possible.  Some  pack  the  wood  in  damp  moss  or  sand, 
which  prevents  drying  and  heating.  These  prunings  will 
answer  equally  well  for  one,  two,  or  three  bud  cuttings. 

Single  buds  are  most  successfully  started  under  glass,  in  the 
green-house  or  a  hot-bed,  in  February  or  March.  Cut  out  the 
buds,  as  many  as  are  wanted,  and  place  them  quite  thickly  in  a 


96 


box  of  pure  sand.  Cover  the  buds  about  half  an  inch  deep,  and 
press  them  down,  so  as  to  make  all  compact.  These  boxes 
may  be  packed  away  under  the  benches  of  the 
house,  and  will  require  no  care  for  several  weeks, 
except  an  occasional  watering,  just  enough  to 
keep  the  sand  moist.  Do  not  expose  them  to 
much  heat,  as  the  process  of  root-formation,  as 
with  all  hard-wooded  cuttings,  will  be  slow.  If 
kept  too  warm,  the  heat  will  excite  the  bud  into 
growth  before  roots  are  formed  to  sustain  it,  and 
when  they  have  pushed  one  or  two  inches,  and 
exhausted  the  small  amount  of  vitality  which 
they  contain,  they  will  perish.  Any  attempt  to 
hurry  a  hard-wood  cutting  will  result  in  disap- 
pointment. With  skilful  management,  ninety- 
five  per  cent,  of  the  buds  will  grow,  and  make 
good  plants. 

As  there  is  little  or  no  plant-food  in  sand  to 
sustain  the  growing  vines,  they  should  be  trans- 
planted into  flower-pots,  or  boxes  filled  with 
good  soil,  as  soon  as  they  have  formed  roots, 
and  turned  out  into  the  open  border  as  soon  as 
the  season  will  admit. 

PROPAGATING   VINES    BY   CUTTINGS. 

Two-bud  cuttings  are  made  as  represented  in 
Fig.  45,  as  soon  after  the  fall  of  the  leaf  as  con- 
venient, and  planted  out  in  any  well  drained 
sandy  loam  at  once.  Select  a  spot  where  no 
water  will  collect  in  winter.  The  base  of  such 
cuttings  will  callous  over,  and  sometimes  form 
roots  before  the  ground  freezes,  and  make  a 
good  growth  the  next  year ;  or,  the  wood  may 
be  stored  in  the  cellar,  as  directed  above,  and 
the  cuttings  planted  out  early  in  the  spring.  The 
fall  is  to  be  preferred,  for  the  reason  stated,  and 
because  the  ground  is  in  better  condition  at  that 
season  of  the  year.  Late  planting  of  cuttings  in 
Fig.  46.  spring  is  liable  to  prove  a  failure. 


97 

In  planting  out  two  or  three  bud  cuttings,  draw  a  garden  line 
the  required  length,  and,  with  the  back  of  the  spade,  to  the 
line  open  a  V-shaped  trench  to  receive  them  as  represented  in 
Fig.  46.  Set  the  cuttings  in  the 
trench,  three  or  four  inches  apart, 
sloping  from  the  sun,  observing  that 
the  top  bud  comes  just  even  with  the 
surface  of  the  ground  at  the  line. 
Fill  the  trench  a  little  at  a  time,  com- 
pacting the  soil  firmly  about  the  cut- 
ting, especially  at  its  base,  by  pres- 
sure with  the  foot.  If  the  wood  of  rig.  46. 
which  the  cutting  is  made  is  in  good  condition,  and  these  sim- 
ple directions  are  followed,  a  large  per  cent,  will  take  root,  and 
make  plants  of  the  best  quality — as  good  as  those  sold  by  tree- 
tramps  at  $1  each.  They  will  be  fit  to  plant  out  by  the  stake 
or  trellis  to  which  they  are  to  be  trained,  in  autumn  or  the  fol- 
lowing spring,  as  may  be  most  convenient.  When  cuttings  or 
young  vines  are  set  out  in  the  fall,  the  ground  about  them 
should  be  covered  with  strawy  manure,  or  evergreen  boughs, 
before  severe  weather  arrives. 

PROPAGATING    VINES     BY   LAYERS. 

In  layering  the  vine,  a  cane  of  well  ripened  wood  of  the  pre- 
vious year's  growth  is  chosen,  containing  eight  or  ten  buds, 
more  or  less.  Open  a  trench,  as  directed  for  cuttings,  only 
commencing  near  the  parent  vine.  Stretch  the  cane  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  trench,  and  fix  it  in  place  with  weights  or  pegs. 
This  is  to  be  done  in  spring  before  the  buds  swell,  and  the 
trench  is  to  remain  open  till  the  shoots  have  made  a  growth  of 
four  or  five  inches.  The  young  wood  will  take  an  upright 
direction,  and  the  trench  must  be  filled  with  care,  covering  the 
cane,  and  pressing  the  dirt  down  firmly.  The  shoots  had  bet- 
ter be  tied  to  small  stakes,  from  time  to  time,  as  they  will  often 
grow  four  or  six  feet  high  if  not  checked  by  pinching,  which  is 
recommended  when  they  have  attained  a  height  of  three  or  four 
feet.  This  will  cause  the  shoot  to  "  stock-up,"  and  form  a  more 
valuable  vine.  Stronger  plants  will  be  obtained  if  every  alter- 
7 


98 


nate  bud  is  rubbed  off  at  the  time  of  layering.     Fig.  47  repre- 

sents the  cane 
of  a  vine,  lay- 
ered as  d  e  - 
scribed,  during 
the  growing 
season,  the  soil 
being  removed 

Fig.  47.  so   as  to  show 

the  root-formation.  As  layering  seems  to  exhaust 
the  parent  vine,  too  many  plants  should  not  be  at- 
tempted iu  one  season.  A  layered  cane  mav  be  lifted 
with  the  spade  in  autumn,  and  severed  from  the  vine 
and  between  the  buds,  making  as  many  plants  as  there 
were  buds  allowed  to  grow.  Fig.  48  represents  such 
a  plant  after  the  leaves  have  fallen. 


Fig.  48. 


TRANSPLANTING    THE    GARPE. 


Vines  may  be  safely  set  in  the  fall,  at  any  time  after  shedding 
their  leaves,  —  the  earlier  the  better,  —  and  in  spring  as  soon  as 
the  soil  has  become  mellow  and  warm.  If  vines  are  received 
from  a  distance  early  in  spring,  while  the  ground  is  still  cold 
and  heavy,  unpack  them  at  once,  and  heel  them  in  in  some  cool, 
shady  place,  and  wait  till  the  season  moves  on  a  little.  Trees 
and  plants  must  never  be  allowed  to  remain  in  the  package  a 
single  day  longer  than  is  necessary,  and  never  drench  them  with 
water  while  thus  packed.  Even  if  dry,  it  is  better  to  trench 
them  in,  first  loosening  the  bundle,  and  mixing  damp  soil  well 
among  the  roots.  Such  trees  or  vines  will  be  safe  for  weeks,  if 
not  received  late,  and  be  more  likely  to  do  well  than  when  set 
out  very  early.  It  is  always  pleasant  to  have  the  birds  for 
company  when  planting  out  small  fruits. 

The  soil  having  been  judiciously  selected  and  put  in  good 
mechanical  condition,  vines  of  suitable  age  and  size,  not  more 
than  two  years  old,  may  be  planted  out  quite  rapidly.  The 
roots  of  a  vine,  after  having  been  set  out  for  a  few  years,  will 
be  found  almost  entirely  near  the  surface,  unless  they  have  been 
destroyed  by  too  deep  cultivation.  Very  few  roots  will  be 
found  more  than  five  or  six  inches  from  the  top.  In  case  of  a 


99 

protracted  drouth,  there  would  be  a  tendency  to  strike  down  in 
pursuit  of  moisture,  but  usually  nearly  the  whole  system  of 
roots  will  not  be  more  than  six  inches  deep.  This  is  just  where 
we  want  them.  The  vine  needs  the  full  force  of  the  sun's  heat 
to  push  on  the  annual  wood  growth,  and  to  ripen  up  the  fruit  in 
autumn. 

Let  the  roots  be  cut  back  at  transplanting  to  ten  or  twelve 
inches  in  length.  The  fibrous  roots,  about  which  we  hear  so 
much,  are  of  but  little  or  no  account.  Their  vitality  is  destroyed 
on  comparatively  slight  exposure.  Take  up  a  vine  that  has 
been  planted  a  year,  and  the  fibrous  roots  which  it  contained 
will  have  all  disappeared.  They  are  short-lived, — annuals,  like 
the  leaves.  They  serve  a  purpose  while  undisturbed,  but  are  of 
no  value  after  exposure,  and  may  as  well  be  pruned  off  as  to 
remain. 

Let  the  canes  be  reduced  to  one,  and  cut  that  back  to  two  or 
three  buds.  One  bud  is  all  that  should  be  allowed  to  grow,  but 
it  is  not  safe  to  remove  them  till  they  have  made  a  growth  of 
some  inches,  as  they  are  extremely  tender,  and  liable  to  be  in- 
jured in  various  ways.  Always  retain  the  lowest  shoot,  pro- 
vided it  is  strong  and  healthy. 

The  transplanting  of  trees  and  vines  can  be  done  by  two  per- 
sons, working  together,  much  more  conveniently  than  by  one. 
The  man  with  the  spade  removes  the  soil  five  or  six  inches  deep, 
where  the  vine  is  to  be  planted,  in  a  circle  as  large  as  the  roots 
will  occupy,  while  another  prunes  the  roots  and  top,  as  above 
described.  The  vine  is  at  once  placed  in  position,  with  the 
roots  radiating  equally  on  all  sides.  The  soil  is  to  be  at  once 
thrown  over  them  by  the  man  of  the  spade,  while  the  other 
makes  all  firm  with  his  foot ;  and  the  thing  is  done  in  less  time 
than  would  be  required  to  read  the  directions  here  given.  Take 
the  vines  to  the  field  with  the  roots  in  a  bucket  of  water,  or  in  a 
basket  packed  in  damp  swamp  moss.  Only  one  need  be  ex- 
posed at  a  time,  and  that  only  for  a  moment.  Two  men  who 
use  no  tobacco  can  set  out  one  thousand  vines  in  a  day. 

Vines  may  be  tied  up  to  a  stake  the  first  year,  or  allowed  to 
sprawl.  I  prefer  to  tie  up,  because  it  is  more  convenient  for 
pinching  back  laterals,  and  they  are  less  in  the  way  of  the  cul- 
tivator. Almost  any  hoed  crop  may  be  grown  on  the  land  for 


100 


two  or  three  years  ;  but  never  attempt  to  grow  two  crops  where 
you  apply  only  plant-food  for  one.  Some  grow  strawberries  be- 
tween the  rows  while  the  vines  are  making  wood  ;  but  it  is  a 
practice  of  doubtful  expediency,  as  the  strawberry  plant  is  a  gross 
feeder,  and  will  soon  exhaust  the  soil. 


PRUNING    AND    TRAINING. 

The  aim  of  the  propagator  must  be  to  get  as  strong  growth  as 
possible  the  first  year.  When  the  wood  of  the  plant  has  become 
mature,  cut  it  back,  leaving  only  two 
buds.  Two  buds  are  allowed  to  re- 
main for  safety,  one  of  which  is  to  be 
rubbed  off  when  both  start,  leaving 
only  one  to  grow  the  first  year  after 
transplanting.  What  is  wanted  is  a 
strong  root  and  cane  at  the  outset, 
whatever  system  of  training  may  sub- 
sequently be  adopted.  Fig.  49  will 
give  a  good  idea  of  a  well  grown  vine 
at  the  end  of  the  first  year  after  plant- 
ing out.  Repeat  the  cutting  back  till 
the  preponderance  of  the  root  over  the 
top  is  such  as  to  give  a  single  strong 
cane,  such  as  the  cut  represents.  When 
this  is  secured,  whether  the  vine  is  one 
or  five  years  from  the  bud — but  not  be- 
fore— cut  back  to  two  buds  at  the  time 
of  pruning,  and  allow  both  to  grow  and 
form  canes  the  next  season. 

There  are  numerous  ways  of  pruning 
Fig.  49.  and  training  the  vine,  practised  with  ap- 

parently equal  success  by  those  engaged  in  grape  culture,  each  fol- 
lowing some  peculiar  notion  of  his  own.  To  be  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  this  statement,  one  has  only  to  look  over  the  various  works 
on  this  subject,  published  from  time  to  time,  and  compare  the 
illustrations  and  directions  given  as  a  guide  to  the  novice. 
Many  of  the  methods  are  ingenious,  some  simple,  and  others  so 
complex  as  to  mystify  rather  than  enlighten  or  aid  the  amateur. 


101 


They  give  us  the  spur  method,  the  renewal 
method,  and  a  score  of  others, — all  well  enough, 
perhaps,  if  the  gardener  has  the  ability  to  master 
them,  and  the  time  and  skill  requisite  to  carry 
them  out  in  practice.  It  would  be  useless  for  me 
to  describe  more  than  two  or  three  of  the  most 
simple  methods,  such  as  may  be  easily  under- 
stood and  adopted  by  any  one  of  fair  intelligence. 
It  is  presumed  that  the  gentleman  of  wealth  will 
employ  an  expert,  and  intrust  the  business 
wholly  to  him.  I  am  not  writing  specially  for 
that  class,  but  rather  for  thousands  of  farmers 
and  mechanics,  owning  small  tracts  of  land, 
where  they  may  grow  a  succession  of  fruits  for 
the  entire  year. 

To  recapitulate,  Fig.  48  represents  a  small  vine, 
grown  from  a  single  bud,  cutting,  or  layer,  in  the 
autumn  of  its  first  year,  after  the  leaves  have 
fallen.  A  plant  grown  from  a  layer  would  usually 
be  stronger  than  is  represented  by  this  cut.  This 
is  of  suitable  size  and  age,  however,  for  planting 
out.  Cut  back  to  one  or  two  buds  at  time  of 
transplanting  in  spring,  and  allow  but  one  shoot 
to  grow.  Tie  up  to  a  stake  from  time  to  time, 
and,  if  laterals  make  much  growth,  check  them 
by  pinching  off.  the  tender  ends  occasionally. 
The  vine  should  present  the  appearance  at  the 
close  of  the  second  season  as  represented  in  Fig. 
49.  Before  growth  commences  the  next  spring 
(see  best  time  to  prune  hereafter),  this  cane,  as 
it  is  now  called,  is  to  be  cut  back  to  two  buds* 
and  a  cane  grown  from  each,  tying  up  and  pinch- 
ing in  laterals  as  before.  The  vine  at  the  end  of  Fig.  50. 
the  third  season  is  shown  by  Fig.  50,  divested  of  its  foliage. 
Two  marks  of  cancellation  will  be  observed,  showing  where 
each  cane  is  to  be  cut  back  at  time  of  pruning.  The  length  of 
the  canes  should  be  as  nearly  equal  as  possible,  and  three  or 
four  feet  long,  for  reasons  that  will  soon  be  obvious. 

This  vine  is  intended  to  be  fixed  to  a  permanent  trellis  at  the 


102 


commencement  of  its  fourth  year.  It  is  of  the  utmost  impor- 
tance that  the  wood  forming  these  canes  should  be  mature,  and 
the  buds  well  developed,  and  that  they  remain  uninjured  during 
the  winter.  In  the  spring  the  canes  are  to  be  bent  in  opposite 
directions,  in  line  with  the  rows,  and  retained  in  the  position 
represented  in  Fig.  51  till  the  buds  have  expanded  and  growth 


V 


Fig.  51. 


has  fairly  commenced.  The  question  will  be  asked,  "What 
occasion  is  there  for  this  treatment  at  this  particular  season  ?" 
The  answer  is,  that  the  buds  at  the  end  of  the  cane  will  always 
push  earlier  and  stronger  than  any  others  ;  in  fact,  those  lower 
down  on  the  cane  will  often  remain  perfectly  dormant.  Bend- 
ing the  vine  will  check  the  rush  of  sap  to  the  top  ;  this  causes 
the  buds  to  "break"  uniformly.  As  soon  as  this  object  is  as- 
sured, the  canes  are  extended  horizontally,  as  in  Fig.  52,  and 
tied  to  the  lowest  wire  or  slat  of  the  trellis. 


Fig.  52. 


It  will  be  found  that  the  different  varieties  vary  much  in 
their  manner  of  growth,  in  this,  that  the  internodes  are  much 
greater  in  some  kinds  than  in  others.  The  wood  is  spoken  of 
as  short-  or  long-jointed,  as  the  case  may  be.  For  example, 
the  Hartford  Prolific  will  have  two  buds  where  the  Diana  has 
but  one.  A  knowledge  of  the  habit  of  each  variety  in  this  par- 
ticular is  important,  as  every  other  bud  on  the  horizontal  arms 
of  short-jointed  canes  had  better  be  rubbed  off,  choosing  those 
on  the  under  side  (see  Fig.  53,  a,  a,  a,  a,  a,  a,)  to  prevent  too 


103 


Fig.  53. 

much  crowding  on  the  trellis.  In  Fig.  53  I  have  endeavored  to 
represent  in  a  single  illustration  what  might  have  been  better 
shown  in  three  or  four. 

It  will  be  understood  without  saying,  that  each  cane  is  to  be 
trained  up,  and  tied  as  each  wire  is  reached.  It  matters  not 
what  material  is  used  for  tying,  whether  bass-wood  bark,  as 
found  in  furniture  mats,  cotton  twine,  or  the  ravellings  of  an 
old  stocking.  None  of  these  will  affect  unfavorably  the  size  or 
flavor  of  the  fruit.  If  any  of  the  shoots  grow  more  freely  than 
others,  pinch  them  back,  so  that  all  may  reach  the  top  of  the 
trellis  at  nearly  the  same  time.  The  marks  of  cancellation 
show  where  these  upright  canes  are  to  be  cut  at  the  fall  pruning, 
leaving  but  two  buds  on  each  spur.  Another  year  will  give  us 
two  upright  canes  where  now  there  is  but  one ;  and,  as  each 
cane  will  set  its  two  or  three  bunches,  the  crop  of  fruit,  if  not 
removed,  will  be  doubled.  The  subsequent  treatment  of  this 
vine  will  be  quite  simple.  Cut  back  at  each  annual  pruning  to 
two  healthy  buds,  which  will  give  two  fruit-bearing  canes  to 
each  spur,  cutting  away  the  upper  spur  entirely  ;  and  this  may 
be  repeated  indefinitely. 

In  practice  it  will  occur  that  small  buds  will  push  near  the 
horizontal  arms,  or  the  buds  intended  to  grow  will  appear  to  be 
double,  and  two  shoots  will  appear  where  but  one  is  wanted. 
Let  all  such  superfluous  shoots  be  removed  at  once,  and  all  lat- 
eral branches  kept  short  by  frequent  pinching. 


104 


Grapes  are  always  borne  on  the  new  wood,  and  each  upright 
cane  of  a  vine  of  the  age  and  condition  here  represented  will 
be  likely  to  set  two  or  three  bunches  of  fruit.  Not  more  than 
two  bunches  are  allowable,  unless  the  vine  is  unusually  strong 
and  vigorous,  for  a  first  crop.  The  danger  is  that  too  much 
fruit  will  set,  and  the  temptation  is  strong  to  allow  all  to  ma- 
ture. When  the  matter  of  thinning  is  reached,  this  subject  will 
be  more  fully  discussed. 

Vines  trained  in  the 
way  here  described  are 
to  be  planted  out  in 
rows,  from  eight  to 
twelve  feet  apart,  and 
the  horizontal  arms 
cut  of  such  a  length 
that  those  of  different 
vines  will  just  meet, 
and  cover  the  trellis. 
But  vines  may  be  set 
as  near  as  six  feet 
even,  and  by  a  slight 
variation  in  the  method 
of  training  give  good 
crops.  Take  the  vine, 
as  represented  in  Fig. 
^_^  50.  and  instead  of  cut- 
j  ting  back  both  canes 
•«•  I  to  four  or  gve  feet, 

shorten  one  only,  and 
cut  the  other  back  to  two  or  three  buds.  Train  the  shoots  from 
these  buds  to  a  stake  planted  near  the  root,  and  the  long  arm 
horizontally,  as  in  the  first  method.  Fig.  54  will  show  this 
method  without  further  description.  Vines  thus  trained  may  be 
set  five  or  six  feet  apart,  and  this  distance  may  do  for  those 
that  make  but  a  feeble  growth  ;  but  strong-growing  varieties, 
such  as  the  Concord  and  its  seedlings,  will  require  ten  or 
twelve  feet  each  way. 

A  method  of  training  having  some  advantages  is  represented 
in  Fig.  55.  A  part  of  the  canes  ma}7  be  tied  up  to  a  stake  set 


105 


Fig.  55. 

near  the  root  faj,  and  others  trained  to  a  pole  resting  one  end 
on  the  ground  (b),  and  the  other  made  fast  by  a  slip-knot  (c)  to 
the  top  of  the  next  stake.  This  gives  the  fruit  and  foliage  the 
full  benefit  of  the  sun  and  air,  thereby  avoiding  rot  and  mil- 
dew, and  insuring  early  maturity.  By  simply  slipping  the 
knot,  the  canes  trained  at  an  angle  may  be  dropped  down,  and 
covered  during  winter,  and  taken  up  and  placed  in  position 
again  in  the  spring.  Tender  varieties  require  this  protection, 
and  experience  has  shown  that  the  fruit  of  the  more  hardy  sorts 
will  ripen  a  week  or  ten  days  earlier  when  the  vines  have  been 
thus  protected.  Instead  of  training  two  of  the  canes  to  upright 
stakes,  as  at  d,  poles  may  be  placed  so  as  to  form  an  X  between 
the  stakes,  as  at  e  in  the  cut,  in  which  case  all  the  canes  may 
be  dropped  to  the  ground,  and  protected. 

I  trust  that  no  one  will  conclude,  from  the  descriptions  here 
given,  that  any  one  of  these  methods  of  training  the  vine  is  ab- 
solutely indispensable  in  order  to  grow  grapes  for  home  use,  or 
even  for  the  market.  Better,  a  thousand  times,  to  discard  them 
all,  and  plant  your  vines,  simply  tying  them  up  to  the  roughest 
stakes  you  can  find,  and  neglect  pruning  entirely,  rather  than 
oblige  your  boys  to  scour  the  hills  and  swamps  for  wild  grapes 
that  are  unfit  to  eat  after  they  have  been  stolen.  There  are 
many  tons  of  grapes  grown  in  the  South  and  West  every  year, 
both  for  the  table  and  for  wine,  where  the  vines  are  trained  to 
stakes  in  the  simplest  manner,  and  some  of  the  largest  grow- 
ers in  New  England  practice  the  same  method.  Just  plant 
two  stakes  on  opposite  sides  of  each  vine,  eighteen  inches  from 
the  root,  and  train  one  cane  around  each  stake  spirally,  pinch- 
ing the  end  of  the  vine  when  the  top  of  each  stake  is  reached, 
and  pinching  the  laterals  occasionally.  Vines  thus  trained  may 


106 

be  set  six   feet  apart.     Cut  back  the  laterals   to   two  buds  in 
autumn,  for  bearing  wood  the  next  season. 

TRELLISES    AND    STAKES. 

Trellises  may  be  constructed  with  posts  and  slats,  or  wire 
stretched  from  one  post  to  another,  and  made  fast  by  staples. 
Numbers  12  to  15  galvanized  or  annealed  wire  will  be  found  of 
suitable  size,  and  the  staples  may  be  readily  made  of  the  same. 
Cedar  posts,  set  eight  feet  apart,  five  inches  in  diameter,  are 
durable,  and  cheapest  in  the  end.  Stretch  the  bottom  wire 
twenty  inches  from  the  ground,  and  three  others  about  thirteen 
inches  apart,  making  the  trellis  five  feet  high.  Such  a  trellis 
will  require  no  renewal  or  repairs  for  many  years.  Wooden  slats 
soon  become  tender,  and  are  almost  a  constant  source  of  annoy- 
ance. Stakes  are  also  of  cedar,  and  may  be  somewhat  smaller, 
and  should  be,  when  set,  at  least  six  feet  high. 

BEST    TIME    FOR    PRUNING    THE    VINE. 

The  annual  pruning  may  be  done  at  any  time  from  the  fall  of 
the  leaf  till  early  spring.  Pruning  vines  or  trees  when  frozen 
is  not  thought  to  be  a  good  practice,  and  hence  the  autumn  and 
pleasant  days  in  winter  are  to  be  preferred.  If  the  wood  re- 
moved is  to  be  used  for  propagating,  let  the  pruning  be  done 
and  the  cuttings  planted  out  in  the  fall,  as  before  described. 
Winter  pruning  will  be  very  inconvenient,  if  not  impossible, 
where  the  vines  are  dropped  on  the  ground,  and  covered  with 
evergreens  or  snow,  as  is  strongly  recommended  where  practi- 
cable. 

I  am  fully  aware  that  some  successful  vine-growers  say, 
"Prune  at  any  time,"  and  claim  that  bleeding,  which  is  sure  to 
follow  spring  pruning,  is  not  injurious.  It  is  quite  certain,  how- 
ever, that  bleeding  can  do  the  vine  no  good,  and  equally  certain 
that  wounds  made  when  the  wood  is  frozen  do  not  readily  heal. 
Because  the  sugar-maple  is  not  seriously  injured  by  the  escape 
of  sap  from  a  small  hole  made  with  a  bit,  it  does  not  follow  that 
the  same  tree  would  not  be  injured  by  cutting  away  numerous 
large  branches  at  the  same  season.  This  is  precisely  the  treat- 
ment that  is  given  the  vine  when  the  grower  cuts  back  to  one  or 
two  buds  annuallv. 


107 

There  is  but  a  short  time  in  spring,  just  before  the  buds 
unfold,  when  a  vine  will  bleed.  There  is  little  or  no  movement 
of  the  sap  in  winter,  nor  when  the  ground  is  frozen  ;  and,  as 
soon  as  growth  commences,  the  sap  is  absorbed  and  evaporated 
through  the  leaf  in  large  quantities.  Why,  then,  choose  the 
spring,  the  worst  time  in  the  whole  year,  for  pruning?  There 
is  no  objection,  however,  to  pruning  at  transplanting,  as  the 
roots  having  been  cut  or  broken  in  digging,  there  is  not  a  suffi- 
cient flow  of  sap  to  result  in  bleeding.  Severe  pruning  during 
the  growing  season  will  give  the  vine  a  shock  from  which  it  will 
take  a  long  time  to  recover,  but  the  pinching  in  of  laterals  and 
the  ends  of  canes,  to  check  a  too  rampant  growth,  is  always  in 
order. 

MANURE    FOR    THE    VINE. 

Some  extensive  grape-growers  have  contended  in  the  past 
that  vines  require  little  or  no  manure  ;  that  land  in  good  con- 
dition for  any  of  the  hoed  crops  is  quite  rich  enough  to  insure 
the  best  results.  They  outgrow  this  notion  after  a  few  years' 
experience.  The  removal  of  a  large  growth  of  wood  at  the  an- 
nual pruning,  with  a  crop  of  fruit  in  addition,  will  exhaust  the 
fertility  of  the  soil  as  rapidly  as  most  other  crops.  While  this 
is  true,  caution  should  be  exercised  in  the  use  of  unfermented 
nitrogenous  manures.  The  tendency  of  all  such  applications 
would  be  to  cause  an  excessive  and  late  growth  of  wood, 
entirely  unfit  to  endure  the  extreme  temperature  of  our  winters. 
Fine  old  compost,  say  half  muck,  is  much  to  be  preferred. 
Rather  coarse  ground  bone,  mixed  with  wood  ashes  or  commer- 
cial potash,  will  give  good  results  on  most  soils.  Such  a  mixture 
contains  very  little  nitrogen,  while  the  percentage  of  phosphoric 
acid,  potash,  and  lime  is  large.  It  seems  to  meet  the  wants  of 
the  vine  perfectly.  An  application,  once  in  two  or  three  years, 
of  three  hundred  pounds  of  bone,  one  hundred  pounds  of  pot- 
ash, or  fifty  bushels  of  wood  ashes  to  the  acre,  will  be  sufficient 
to  maintain  the  vines  in  a  thriving,  healthy  growth,  and,  other 
conditions  being  favorable,  insure  an  annual  yield  of  the  best 
fruit.  The  bone  and  ashes  should  be  mixed  and  moistened  some 
weeks  before  using.  This  may  be  done  on  the  stable  floor, 
where  it  can  remain  till  the  odor  arising  from  the  mass  indicates 


108 

the  presence  of  heat,  when  it  should  be  shovelled  over,  and,  if 
too  dry,  more  water  applied.  This  may  be  done  two  or  three 
times,  at  intervals  of  a  few  days,  using  caution  in  applying 
water,  as,  if  the  mixture  once  becomes  pasty,  it  cannot  be  prop- 
erly or  conveniently  applied.  Gypsum,  or  dry  soil,  will  effect- 
ually check  and  preserve  the  ammonia  that  will  otherwise  be  lost 
during  the  process  of  fermentation. 

The  application  of  clay,  or  well  seasoned  muck,  will  be  useful 
on  very  light,  sandy  land,  by  absorbing  and  retaining  moisture 
in  a  dry  season.  The  grape,  however,  seldom  suffers  from 
drouth.  Southern  California  is  reported  to  have  but  two  inches 
of  rain  annually,  and  there  the  grape  is  perfectly  at  home.  The 
preference  of  our  American  grapes  for  rather  dry  situations  is 
well  known  and  recognized  by  all  successful  vineyardists. 

CULTIVATION    OF   THE    GRAPE. 

After  what  has  been  said  relative  to  the  growth  of  roots  near 
the  surface,  it  would  seem  unnecessary  to  caution  the  grape- 
grower  against  deep  tillage  in  the  vineyard  after  the  vines  have 
become  established.  The  surface  soil  being  filled  with  a  perfect 
network  of  roots,  it  follows  that  the  cultivation  must  be  of  the 
most  shallow  kind.  The  vineyard  is  no  place  for  the  plow  or 
the  spade,  and  the  common  cultivator,  even,  may  do  a  vast 
amount  of  mischief  in  unskilful  hands.  A  light  harrow  with 
numerous  small  teeth,  set  sloping  backwards,  ma}7  be  used  with- 
out detriment ;  but  the  best  implement  I  have  ever  seen  for  this 
purpose  is  a  cultivator  from  which  all  the  teeth  have  been  re- 
moved, run  simply  with  the  wheel  and  a  broad  knife  attached, 
from  which  not  a  weed  can  escape.  The  depth  of  cultivation 
may  be  regulated  with  perfect  ease.  There  should  be  no  piling 
of  the  soil,  or  throwing  it  into  furrows,  but  let  it  be  simply 
raised,  loosened,  and  left  as  mellow  as  possible.  The  harrow 
may  be  run  through  the  vineyard  every  week,  or  as  often  as 
small  weeds  appear,  or  the  surface  becomes  crusted,  till  Au- 
gust, when  all  cultivation  should  cease.  Late  manuring  or  late 
tillage  causes  late  growth  of  immature  wood,  which  is  always  to 
be  avoided.  The  harrow,  scarifier,  slide  hoe,  and  the  steel  rake 
are  the  only  implements  required  to  keep  the  soil  of  the  vine- 


109 

yard  in  perfect  condition.     The  best  time  to  kill   weeds  is  the 
day  they  are  born. 

AMOUNT    OF    FRUIT. 

u  How  much  fruit  can  a  vine  safely  be  permitted  to  carry  ?'* 
This  is  a  question  often  put  by  the  novice,  and  suggests  a  mat- 
ter of  vital  importance.  The  answer  depends  on  a  variety  of 
circumstances.  Be  careful  never  to  ask  too  much  of  your  vines, 
especially  when  young.  An  overcrop  is  sure  to  be  followed  by 
no  crop  at  all,  as  in  the  case  of  the  apple,  pear,  and  other 
fruits.  The  most  successful  growers  never  allow  their  vines  to 
ripen  more  than  a  few  bunches  (say  four  to  six)  before  they 
are  four  years  old,  the  number  depending  upon  the  vigorous 
character  and  strength  of  each  vine.  As  the  vine  attains  age, 
the  quantity  may  be  gradually  increased,  till  six  or  eight  pounds 
are  reached,  and  this  crop  may  be  repeated  every  year.  Some 
allow  their  vines  to  retain  twelve  or  fifteen  pounds,  or  even 
more,  without  serious  injury  ;  but,  as  a  rule,  excessive  cropping 
will  work  ruin  in  the  end. 

Thinning  the  fruit  cannot  be  done  too  early.  The  best  time 
is  as  soon  as  the  berries  have  formed.  Remove  ail  small  clus- 
ters, and  with  small  pointed  scissors  take  out  all  inferior  ber- 
ries from  the  bunches  that  are  to  remain.  Some  varieties  set 
their  berries  too  closely  on  the  bunch,  and  may  be  improved  by 
thinning,  both  in  size  and  quality.  Fruit  thus  carefully  grown 
will  give  much  greater  satisfaction  to  the  consumer,  and  com- 
mand a  ready  sale  at  a  high  price  in  the  market.  The  effect  of 
premature,  excessive  bearing  is  often  to  destroy  or  greatly  to 
impair  the  vigor,  health,  and  productiveness  of  whole  vineyards. 
It  should  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  reducing  the  crop  by  thin- 
ning insures  early  maturity. 

It  may  be  suggested  that  the  number  of  pounds  to  a  vine 
above  named,  will  give  but  a  light  crop  to  the  acre  ;  but  vines 
planted  six  by  eight  feet  will  give  more  than  nine  hundred  plants 
to  an  acre,  and  more  than  three  tons  of  fruit.  This  would  give 
a  profitable  return  if  failures  were  not  too  frequent.  From  two 
to  four  tons  to  an  acre  is  regarded  as  a  fair  crop  of  grapes, 
while  ten  tons,  it  is  said,  have  been  grown.  But  the  grower 
must  bear  in  mind  that  the  larger  the  crop  a  vine  is  allowed  to 


110 

bear,  the  poorer  the  quality  is  likely  to  be,  and  the  later  it  will 
be  in  maturing.  Hence  the  more  unfavorable  the  locality  or  the 
season,  the  greater  the  necessity  for  thinning  the  fruit. 

WHAT    VARIETIES    SHALL    WE    PLANT? 

The  list  of  profitable  market  grapes  that  can   be  grown  in  a 
northern  latitude   is  very  short.     We   can  only   select  varieties 
ripening  about  the  same  time,  as  the  earliest  will  be  none  too 
early  to  escape  our  autumn   frosts.     Till  the  Worden,  Moore's 
Early,   and    other    new  varieties    have   been    more    extensively 
grown,  so  as  to  lower  the   price  of  vines  within   our  reach,  the 
list  must  begin  and  end  with  the  Concord.     I  know  of  but  few 
instances   in  New  England  where  any  other  grape  is  being  ex- 
tensively grown    for    market.       If    the    expectations    of   those 
engaged  in  bringing  out  new  seedlings  are  realized,  we  shall  not 
long  be  limited  to  two  or  three  varieties.     When  we  recall  the 
fact  that  in  other  sections  of  the  country,  where  the  brevity  of 
the  season  is  no  obstacle,  there  are  very  few  profitable  market 
grapes  grown,  we  shall  be  more  content  with  our  lot  and  locality. 
For  the   table,  we    may  extend   the    list   almost  indefinitely. 
New  candidates  for  favor  are  presented  every  year,  and  the  dis- 
position to  give  them  a  fair  trial  should  be  encouraged.     It  is 
not  difficult  to  name  a  dozen   sorts  of  good  quality,  any  one  of 
which  we  may  ripen,  where   it  would  have  been  impossible  to 
name  one  fourth  that  number  a  few  years   ago.     The  demand 
has  insured  a  supply,  and  still  they  come.     We  may  name  as 
varieties,  some  of  which  are  well  established  in  public  favor,  and 
others  worthy  of  trial,  the  following  :    Concord,   Hartford  Pro- 
lific, Delaware,  Worden,  Moore's  Early,  Isabella,  Martha,  Lady, 
Wilder,  Brighton,  Prentiss,Pocklington,  Dutchess,  and  Agawam. 
Here  we  have  a  baker's  dozen,  and  the  list  might  easily  be  ex- 
tended.    It  is  by  no  means  certain  that  it  might  not  be  greatly 
improved. 

As  all  are  not  acquainted  with  the  older  varieties,  and  know 
little  or  nothing  of  the  new,  a  brief  description  may  be  found 
convenient  for  reference.  Interested  parties  will  pardon  me  if 
I  abbreviate  somewhat  descriptions  found  in  their  catalogues, 
use  less  expressive  adjectives,  and  occasionally  hint  at  the  faults 
of  their  pets. 


Ill 

ADIRONDAC.  Bunch  medium ;  berry  black,  round,  large ; 
skin  thin  ;  flesh  tender,  scarcely  any  pulp  ;  sweet,  but  not  rich. 
It  seldom  succeeds. 

AGAWAM  (ROGERS'  No.  15).  Bunch  medium,  somewhat 
loose,  shouldered ;  berry  large,  roundish  oval ;  skin  thick, 
brownish  red  ;  flesh  tender,  juicy,  free  from  pulp  ;  flavor  rich 
and  pleasant,  having  a  peculiar  aroma  ;  vine  very  vigorous  and 
hardy  ;  a  hybrid  between  a  native  and  a  foreign  species  ;  ripens 
with  Concord  ;  a  little  subject  to  mildew  ;  does  not  bear  close 
pruning.  Origin,  Salem,  Mass. 

ALLEN'S  HYBRID.  Bunch  medium,  compact;  berries  medium, 
round  ;  skin  thin,  pale,  amber ;  flesh  tender,  without  pulp,  ex- 
cellent ;  early  ;  not  hardy  ;  requires  protection.  Origin,  Salem, 

Mass. 

BARRY  (ROGERS'  No.  43).  Bunch  rather  short,  broad,  com- 
pact, shouldered ;  berries  black,  roundish,  oval,  large ;  flesh 
delicate,  sweet,  tender ;  skin  thin  ;  early  as  Concord ;  one  of 
the  best  black  grapes  ;  vine  vigorous,  hardy,  and  productive. 
Origin,  Salem,  Mass. 

BRIGHTON.  Bunch  large,  shouldered  ;  berry  large,  Catawba- 
colored,  but  little  pulp  ;  flavor  fine,  rich  ;  vine  vigorous,  hardy, 
and  productive  ;  a  week  earlier  than  Concord  ;  a  cross  between 
Concord  and  Diana  Hamburgh.  Origin,  Brighton,  N.  Y. 

CONCORD.  Bunch  large,  compact,  shouldered  ;  berries  black, 
round  ;  skin  thin,  tender  ;  flesh  juicy,  sweet ;  pulp  tender  when 
fully  ripe  ;  vine  very  hardy  and  vigorous  ;  leaves  thick  and  en- 
during ;  very  productive  ;  ripens  from  10th  to  20th  of  Septem- 
ber ;  the  most  popular  and  profitable  grape  grown.  Origin, 
Concord,  Mass. 

CREVELING.  Bunch  loose,  straggling,  shouldered ;  berries 
medium,  black,  sweet,  and  juicy,  good ;  vine  hardy  and  healthy, 
and  good  grower  ;  ripens  with  Concord.  It  is  not  very  valuable 
or  reliable  ;  fertilizes  imperfectly. 

DELAWARE.  Bunch  small,  compact,  often  shouldered  ;  ber- 
ries small,  round  ;  color  red  ;  skin  thin  ;  flesh  tender  and  juicy  ; 
scarcely  any  pulp  ;  sweet,  with  a  brisk,  vinous  flavor  ;  vine  hardy, 


112 

slender  grower  when  young;  requires  good  soil  and  cultiva- 
tion ;  moderately  productive  ;  ripens  in  September ;  a  standard 
in  quality.  Origin,  New  Jersey. 

DUCHESS.  Bunch  medium  to  large,  shouldered,  compact ; 
berries  medium,  round,  greenish  white  ;  skin  thin  ;  flesh  tender 
without  pulp  ;  quality  good  ;  rots  and  mildews  in  some  locali- 
ties ;  ripens  with  Delaware.  Origin,  New  York. 

EMPIRE  STATE.  Bunch  medium,  long,  narrow  shouldered, 
compact;  berries  round,  green,  sweet,  juicy,  and  nearly  free 
from  pulp.  It  has  a  distinct  Frontignau  flavor,  and  is  free  from 
any  foxy  quality.  Vine  said  to  be  hardy,  healthy,  productive, 
and  a  vigorous  grower ;  early  ;  a  cross  between  Hartford  and 
Clinton.  Origin,  New  York. 

HARTFORD  PROLIFIC.  Bunch  medium,  compact,  shouldered; 
berries  black,  medium,  roundish  oval ;  skin  rather  thick  ;  flesh 
sweet,  juicy  ;  pulp  somewhat  foxy  ;  vine  vigorous,  short-jointed, 
and  productive  ;  berries  often  drop  if  not  thinned  ;  ripens  early 
in  September.  Origin,  Hartford,  Conn. 

HAYES.  Bunch  medium  to  large;  berries  medium,  round, 
greenish  white,  changing  to  amber  yellow  when  fully  ripe  ;  skin 
firm  ;  flesh  tender,  juicy,  of  fine  flavor,  and  free  from  foxiness ; 
vine  moderately  vigorous,  hardy,  and  productive  ;  a  week  earlier 
than  Concord,  of  which  it  is  a  seedling.  Origin,  Massachu- 
setts. 

ISRAELLA.  Bunch  medium,  shouldered ;  berries  black  and 
slightly  oval ;  skin  thin  ;  flesh  tender,  sweet,  nearly  free  from 
foxiness  ;  vine  a  good  grower,  hardy,  healthy,  and  productive. 
Season,  September  1.  It  fails  in  many  localities.  Origin,  New 
York. 

JEFFERSON.  Bunch  large,  compact,  shouldered ;  berries  large, 
roundish,  oval ;  light  red,  with  lilac  bloom  ;  flesh  meaty,  tender, 
juicy,  sweet,  and  spicy  ;  vine  vigorous,  hardy,  and  productive ; 
wood  short  jointed  ;  a  little  later  than  Concord ;  a  cross  of  Con- 
cord with  lona.  Origin,  New  York. 

LADY  WASHINGTON.  Bunch  large,  compact,  shouldered  ;  berry 
medium,  round,  deep  yellow  ;  white  bloom  ;  flesh  soft,  tender, 
juicy,  sweet,  and  good ;  vine  vigorous,  hardy,  productive ; 


113 

leaves  large  lobed  ;  ripens  later  than  the  Concord.     Origin,  New 
York. 

LADY.  Bunch  medium  to  large  ;  berries  round,  large  ;  color 
white  ;  quality  good  ;  hardy  and  healthy  ;  skin  tender  ;  vine  a 
moderate  grower  at  first,  but  becomes  as  strong  a  grower  with 
age  as  the  Concord,  of  which  it  is  a  seedling ;  ripens  two  weeks 
before  the  Concord.  Origin,  Ohio. 

MARTHA.  Bunch  short,  compact ;  berries  white,  large,  round, 
sweet,  juicy,  a  little  foxy  and  pulpy ;  quality  good ;  vine  a 
strong  grower,  healthy,  hardy.  A  seedling  of  the  Concord,  and 
two  weeks  earlier.  Origin,  Pennsylvania. 

MERRIMACK  (ROGERS'  No.  19).  Bunch  short;  berries  round, 
large  ;  skin  black  ;  flavor  sweet  and  rich  ;  quality  good  ;  vine 
very  vigorous  ;  a  good  bearer.  Season,  medium.  Origin,  Salem, 
Mass. 

MOORE'S  EARLY.  Bunch  and  berry  large  ;  black,  with  heavy 
bloom  ;  quality  better  than  Concord  ;  vine  healthy,  hardy,  vig- 
orous, and  productive.  A  seedling  of  the  Concord,  and  nearly 
two  weeks  earlier.  Popular  and  profitable.  Origin,  Concord, 
Mass. 

NIAGARA.  Bunch  large  and  compact ;  berries  large,  round, 
light  greenish-white  ;  skin  thin  and  tough  ;  quality  good  ;  little 
pulp,  melting  and  sweet ;  vine  a  strong  grower,  hardy  and  pro- 
ductive ;  ripens  early,  with  Hartford  Prolific.  Origin,  New 
York. 

POCKLINGTON.  Large  and  showy  ;  skin  white,  thin,  but  tena- 
cious ;  a  little  foxy,  but  as  good  or  better  than  the  Concord  ; 
keeps  a  long  time.  Not  as  early  as  the  Concord,  of  which  it  is 
a  seedling.  Healthy  and  productive  ;  a  fair  grower.  A  prom- 
ising new  variety  in  some  localities.  Origin,  New  York. 

PRENTISS.  Bunch  large,  not  often  shouldered,  compact ; 
berry  medium,  tender,  sweet,  melting,  juicy,  with  pleasant 
aroma ;  free  from  foxiness  ;  little  pulp ;  seeds  few  and  small ; 
vine  hardy  and  a  good  grower ;  very  productive  ;  foliage  not 
always  healthy  ;  color  yellowish  green  ;  a  good  keeper ;  ripens 
about  with  the  Concord.  Origin,  New  York,  from  seed  of 
Isabella. 
8 


114 

SALEM  (ROGERS'  No.  22  OR  53).  Bunch  rather  large,  broad; 
berry  inclined  to  oval;  skin  thin,  black;  flesh  tender,  sweet, 
and  delicate  ;  vine  vigorous  and  productive.  As  early  as  the 
Concord.  Origin,  Salem,  Mass. 

VERGENNKS.  Bunch  medium  to  large  ;  berries  large,  round, 
light  amber ;  flesh  meaty,  tender,  rich  ;  vine  vigorous,  hardy, 
productive  ;  a  good  keeper.  Early  as  the  Hartford  Prolific. 
Origin,  Vermont. 

WHITE  ANN  ARBOR.  Bunch  and  berry  very  large,  white  ; 
quality  good  ;  vine  hardy  and  productive  ;  ripens  earlier  than 
the  Concord,  of  which  it  is  a  seedling.  Sometimes  drops  from 
the  stem.  Origin,  Michigan. 

WILDER  (ROGERS'  No.  4).  Bunch  large  and  showy,  resem- 
bling Black  Hamburgh  ;  berries  large,  round  ;  color  black  ;  flesh 
tender,  with  a  slight  pulp  ;  very  good  ;  vine  hardy  and  product- 
ive. Later  than  Concord.  Origin,  Salem,  Mass. 

WORDEN.  Bunch  large  and  compact ;  berries  black,  larger 
than  Concord,  and  of  better  quality  ;  less  pulp  ;  few  and  small 
seeds  ;  vine  hardy,  healthy,  vigorous,  and  productive  ;  a  seed- 
ling of  the  Concord,  and  a  week  or  ten  days  earlier.  Becoming 
very  popular.  Origin,  New  York. 

I  have  here  given  a  description  of  twenty-five  varieties  of  the 
grape,  embracing  most  of  the  kinds  claimed  to  be  hardy,  and 
early  enough  for  a  Northern  latitude.  Some  that  might  well  be 
included  may  have  been  inadvertently  omitted,  while  others  may 
have  been  named  not  entitled  to  consideration.  I  have  had 
under  cultivation  at  different  times  more  than  fifty  varieties, 
foreign  and  native,  highly  recommended,  but  most  of  them  prov- 
ing of  no  value.  The  vines  and  foliage  of  some  varieties,  other- 
wise desirable,  prove  tender ;  the  fruit  of  others  is  spoiled  by 
rot  and  mildew  ;  and  still  others  require  too  long  a  season  to 
mature.  It  may  be  well  to  name  the  faults  and  virtues  of  some 
kinds  here  omitted. 

CHAMPION  (TALMAN,  BEACONSFIELD)  .  The  same  grape  sailing 
under  different  names.  The  Champion  is  quite  early,  and  for 
this  alone  is  it  to  be  commended.  The  average  tree  agent  will 
urge  you  to  purchase  one  of  each  kind.  Profitable  for  market, 
but  unfit  to  eat.  Iron  clad.  Origin,  New  York. 


115 

DIANA.  Too  late  ;  vine  tender ;  ripens,  if  at  all,  very  un- 
evenly, and  often  has  a  musky  flavor,  and  odor  exceedingly 
offensive  ;  sometimes  excellent.  Origin,  near  Boston. 

IONA.  A  very  showy  grape,  of  the  best  quality  where  it  will 
ripen  ;  too  late  for  New  England,  except  in  very  favorable 
localities.  Origin,  New  York. 

BLOOD'S  PURPLE.  Early,  sweet,  but  a  shy  bearer,  and  does 
not  set  its  fruit  well  on  the  bunch.  Origin,  Massachusetts. 

ISABELLA.  A  good  grape  when  ripe,  but  requires  a  favorable 
locality  and  long  season  ;  tender.  Origin,  South  Carolina. 

CATAWBA.  Has  been  a  famous  grape  ;  too  late  for  the  East ; 
rots  badly.  Origin,  District  of  Columbia. 

REBECCA.  Vine  a  feeble  grower,  and  tender  ;  leaves  mildew  ; 
fruit  very  good. 

THE  MAIN  GKAPE.  The  Concord  under  another  name.  Price 
as  the  "-Main,"  three  dollars;  as  the  Concord,  twent}7-five 
cents. 

COTTAGE.  Early  ;  succeeds  well  in  some  localities,  and  fails 
in  others  ;  inclined  to  drop  from  the  stem.  A  seedling  of  the 
Concord. 

ESSEX  (ROGERS'  No.  41).  Excellent  quality,  poor  bunch; 
otherwise  almost  identical  with  Barry,  Wilder,  and  Herbert. 

HERBERT  (ROGERS' No.  44).  Recommended  for  trial.  Large, 
black,  very  good. 

MONROE.     "  Early  and  delicious,"  says  Mr.  Wilder. 

EUMELAN.  One  of  the  best  in  quality,  but  does  not  always 
succeed.  A  poor  grower,  and  sets  its  fruit  poorly  owing  to  im- 
perfect blossoms. 

HILAND.  One  of  Rickett's  seedlings,  not  fully  tested ;  later 
than  Concord. 

LINDLY  (ROGERS'  No.  9).  One  of  the  best  of  Mr.  Rogers' 
hybrids — "  the  best  of  the  reds."  "  I  denominate  it  the  Muscat 
of  America.  It  is  a  most  valuable  grape  every  way."  So  says 
Col.  Wilder. 

MASSASOIT  (ROGERS'  No.  3).  Seems  to  succeed  with  all  who 
have  tested  it.  The  earliest  of  Rogers'  hybrids. 


116 

EARLY  DAWN.  A  new  grape  recommended  by  reliable  par- 
ties, who  have  tested  it  in  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut. 

EARLY  VICTOR.  Good  in  Massachusetts,  and  promising  in 
other  states. 

FOREIGN  GRAPES  UNDER  GLASS. 

The  number  interested  in  foreign  grapes  is  small ;  still  there 
are  occasional  inquiries  by  those  about  to  erect  glass  structures. 
I  have  had  no  experience  with  such  as  require  a  long  season  and 
artificial  heat,  only  having  grown  about  twenty  varieties  in  a 
common  cold  grapery.  The  Black  Hamburgh  is  the  standard 
foreign  grape,  and  its  progeny  is  about  as  numerous  as  that  of 
the  Concord.  Among  these  the  Gros  Blue,  Victoria  Hamburgh, 
and  Wilmot's  Black  Hamburgh,  have  given  good  satisfaction. 
The  Golden  Hamburgh  is  a  shy  bearer,  and  not  recommended. 
The  Sweetwaters,  both  the  Buckland  and  the  White,  have  failed 
to  set  their  fruit  evenly,  and  hence  have  given  very  imperfect 
bunches.  The  Lady  Downes  and  White  Nice  require  fire  heat 
to  bring  them  to  perfection.  White  and  Grizzly  Frontignan 
both  succeed  well,  and  the  same  is  true  of  Bidwell's  Seedling 
and  Bowker.  Directions  for  preparing  borders,  the  erection  of 
cold  graperies,  and  for  the  training  and  management  of  Tines 
under  glass,  are  here  omitted  for  obvious  reasons. 

DISEASES ROT    AND  MILDEW. 

The  rot  and  mildew  are  the  worst  enemies  in  the  form  of  dis- 
ease with  which  the  grape-grower  has  to  contend  ;  and  yet,  like 
diseases  in  animal  life,  they  are  to  a  certain  extent  under  his 
control.  I  have  only  been  troubled  by  mildew.  It  often  de- 
stroys both  the  foliage  and  fruit,  as  the  fruit  cannot  mature  in 
the  absence  of  healthy  foliage. 

I  have  not  been  careful  to  keep  the  date  of  its  appearance, 
and  doubt  whether  it  is  governed  by  any  time-table.  Dr.  Fisher, 
of  Massachusetts,  says, — "  It  usually  appears  about  July  10, 
after  a  wet  June.  A  wet  June  followed  by  a  dry  July  causes 
mildew,  while  a  dry  June  followed  by  a  wet  July  gives  us  free- 
dom from  this  disease."  Dry,  powdered  sulphur,  though  not  a 
specific  for  mildew  in  the  open  air,  is  perhaps  the  best  remedy 
at  present  known.  Half  an  ounce  volatilized  on  a  warm  sur- 


117 

face  in  a  grapery  checks  the  mildew  without  fail.  Sulphur  scat- 
tered on  the  ground  on  the  sunny  side  of  a  grape  trellis  will 
sometimes  ward  off  mildew,  or  retard  its  progress. 

If  rot  and  mildew  are  of  fungus  origin,  as  is  generally  admit- 
ted, it  is  easy  to  understand  why  they  become  more  prevalent 
and  fatal  under  certain  climatic  and  other  conditions.  Of  course 
no  one  can  control  the  elements,  and  we  can  only  escape  the 
consequences  of  adverse  conditions  of  the  season  by  planting 
out  such  varieties  as  are  usually  exempt  from  mildew,  and  by 
the  selection  of  a  soil  and  location  best  adapted  to  a  healthy 
growth  of  the  vine.  We  want  a  warm,  well-drained  soil,  with  a 
"  south  side"  exposure,  and  so  far  elevated  as  to  admit  of  a 
free  circulation  of  air ;  and  in  this  way  we  may  escape  the  fogs 
and  frosts  that  are  peculiar  to  and  prevalent  in  the  valleys. 

Mr.  William  Saunders,  a  very  intelligent  horticulturist,  says 
the  best  grape  climates  are  those  where  there  are  least  dews, 
and  wherever  we  find  specially  favored  localities  we  will  find 
this  partial  or  total  exemption  from  heavy  dews.  This  has  long 
ago  been  demonstrated,  and  new  grapes  emanating  from  favored 
regions  will  fail  to  give  entire  satisfaction  when  grown  in  local- 
ities less  favorably  situated,  and  thus  lead  to  disappointment. 
This  is  the  reason  for  so  many  seemingly  conflicting  opinions 
regarding  the  merits  of  varieties,  and  it  is  unfortunate  that 
these  considerations  are  not  better  understood  and  recognized. 
When  a  young  grape-vine  loses  its  foliage  by  midsummer,  and 
the  green  shoots  remain  unmatured  till  frost,  that  variety  might 
as  well  be  discarded  at  once.  No  known  methods  of  pruning, 
fertilizing,  or  care  in  cultivation  will  help  it.  The  only  known 
remedy  is  shelter,  arranged  so  as  to  arrest  radiation  of  heat 
from  the  foliage  during  nights. 

The  next  most  important  matter  will  be  to  supply  plant-food 
of  a  kind  and  in  such  quantity  only  as  will  produce  a  moderate, 
healthy,  annual  growth.  This  subject  has  been  sufficiently  dis- 
cussed on  another  page. 

Frequent  and  rather  close  pruning  of  laterals  will  cause  a 
more  full  and  healthy  development  of  foliage  on  the  leading 
canes,  and  such  foliage  will  be  usually  able  to  withstand  the 
attacks  of  disease.  Dry,  hot  days,  succeeded  by  cool,  foggy 
nights,  are  trying  to  all  varieties  having  delicate  leaves.  A  vine 


118 

badly  located,  badly  pruned,  and  improperly  fertilized,  whether 
starved  or  overfed,  will  be  in  a  condition  to  invite  rather  than 
ward  off  disease  and  mildew. 

The  microscopist  has  discovered  that  mildew,  rust,  and  other 
fungi  are  vegetable  growths,  propagated  by  spores,  and  the 
practical  observer  has  learned  that  these  will  only  germinate  at 
a  certain  temperature,  and  under  other  favorable  conditions. 
The  wild,  thick-leaved,  native  vine  is  usually  exempt  from  mil- 
dew, while  the  delicate  foliage  of  the  foreign  species,  and  many 
of  the  hybrids,  and  some  others  that  have  been  "  bred  too  fine," 
cannot,  owing  to  their  susceptibility,  be  grown  successfully  ex- 
cept under  glass. 

Now  there  is  no  doubt  that  at  certain  seasons  the  air  is  filled 
with  the  spores  of  fungoid  growths,  unobserved  because  so  mi- 
nute. The  common  "  puff-ball,"  which  is  a  species  of  fungus, 
when  compressed  fills  the  air  with  its  spores  as  with  smoke,  and 
if  each  one  should  find  a  favorable  lodgment,  would  seed  a 
whole  township.  These  and  other  spores  are  not  likely  to  ad- 
here to  dry,  smooth  surfaces,  but  are  caught  up  by  leaves  mois- 
tened by  rain,  fog,  or  dew.  It  has  been  found  that  vines,  the 
foliage  of  which  is  kept  dry  by  a  coping,  are  almost  entirely  ex- 
empt from  mildew  and  rot.  This  protection  may  be  given, 
without  great  expense,  by  boards  or  cloth  fastened  to  the  tops 
of  the  trellis  posts. 

The  rotting  of  the  grape  has  within  a  few  years,  in  some  sea- 
sons and  localities,  nearly  ruined  the  crop.  We  know  little  of 
the  cause,  and  less  of  the  cure.  It  is  believed  by  most  growers 
of  the  grape  to  be  of  fungus  origin.  One  vineyardist,  who  has 
suffered  severely  by  this  disease,  says  he  has  found  out  the  cause, 
and  that  "  it  is  all  cussedness,  every  bit  of  it."  He  does  not 
claim  to  have  found  any  remedy. 

"  Bagging  the  grape ''  has  proved  to  be  a  preventive  wherever 
practised.  This  is  simply  enclosing  the  clusters  in  rather  thin 
paper  bags  when  the  berries  are  about  the  size  of  pease.  Per- 
forated bags  have  been  invented  for  this  purpose,  but  the  com- 
mon two-pound  bag  used  by  grocers  answers  every  purpose. 
The  end  of  the  bag  may  be  folded  around  the  stem  of  the  clus- 
ter, or  brought  up  over  the  cane  and  fastened  with  a  pin.  The 
fruit  thus  protected  is  secure  from  attacks  of  birds  and  insects, 


119 

and  also  from  mildew  and  the  rot.  But  the  practice  in  large 
vineyards  would  require  an  almost  endless  amount  of  labor,  and 
is  not  likely  to  be  generally  adopted. 

INSECTS. 

There  are  but  few  insects  that  give  us  much  trouble.  That 
scourge  of  the  French  vineyardist,  the  phylloxera  ( P.  vastatrix), 
has  not  yet  favored  us  with  a  call.  It  may  be  advisable  for 
congress  to  pass  an  act  suspending  its  immigration  for  twenty 
years. 

Prof.  Riley  says, — "  The  insect  presents  itself  under  several 
different  forms,  all  of  which  belong  to  two  types.  One  of  these 
is  the  Leaf -gall  type  (gallicola,  R.),  and  the  other  is  found  upon 
the  roots  of  the  vine  (radicola,  R.). 

The  first  form  of  the  insect  produces  a  gall  or  excrescence  on 
the  under  side  of  the  leaf  of  the  size  of  an  ordinary  pea.  On 
carefully  opening  one  of  them,  we  shall  find  the  mother  louse 
diligently  at  work  surrounding  herself  with  pale  yellow  eggs  of 
an  elongated  oval  form,  scarcely  .01-inch  long,  and  not  quite 
half  as  thick.  She  is  about  .04-inch  long,  generally  spherical 
in  shape,  of  a  dull  orange  color,  and  looks  not  unlike  an  imma- 
ture seed  of  the  common  purslane.  The  eggs  begin  to  hatch 
when  six  or  eight  days  old.  The  number  of  eggs  in  a  single 
gall  averages  about  two  hundred,  and  every  egg  brings  forth  a 
fertile  female.  Laying  and  hatching  continue  during  the  sum- 
mer, until  the  fifth  or  sixth  generation.  The  insects  and  galls 
multiply  to  such  an  extent  that  the  leaves  become  completely 
covered.  The  autumnal  insects,  gallicola,  descend  to  the  roots, 
and  there  hibernate. 

41  As  to  the  phylloxera  (Radicola)  that  destroys  the  roots  of 
the  vine,  little  need  be  said,  as  it  is  now  admitted  to  be  iden- 
tical with  the  type  already  described.  Galls  may  be  produced 
upon  the  leaves  by  the  same  insects  that  work  such  mischief  to 
the  roots.  The  puncture  of  the  roots  produces  enlargement, 
that  usually  commences  at  the  tip  of  the  rootlets,  resulting  in 
decay,  as  the  supply  of  sap  to  the  plant  and  the  entire  root  sys- 
tem eventually  wastes  away,  and  the  vine  dies.  There  are  but 
slight  indications  of  the  presence  of  the  insect  the  first  year  of 
the  attack,  and  not  until  the  second  year  are  the  outward  mani- 


120 

festations  of  the  disease  observed.  At  this  stage  the  leaves 
assume  a  yellowish,  sickly  appearance,  and  the  canes  make  but 
little  growth.  The  vine  usually  dies  the  third  year,  when  cir- 
cumstances are  favorable  for  the  multiplication  of  the  insect. 
The  lice  desert  the  plants  before  they  are  dead,  and  of  course 
are  not  found  on  examination  of  the  roots. 

"  The  phylloxera  spreads  from  one  county  and  from  one  sec- 
tion of  the  same  county  to  another,  by  the  sale  and  transmission 
of  vines  from  infected  districts,  and  great  care  should  be  taken 
in  the  purchase  of  vineyard  stock  on  this  account.  At  particu- 
lar stages  of  their  development  the  winged  insects  are  able  to 
fly  to  considerable  distances,  and  undoubtedly  spread  in  this  way 
from  vine  to  vine  and  from  vineyard  to  vineyard,  but  proper 
precautions  will  do  much  to  retard  their  progress. 

'•As  in  case  of  mildew  and  rot,  some  varieties  are  peculiarly 
susceptible  to  the  attacks.  The  slow-growing  and  tender  varie- 
ties are  more  likely  to  suffer  than  those  that  are  hardy  and  vig- 
orous. The  Southern  Fox-grape  (  Vitis  vulpina)  is  said  to  be 
entirely  free  from  attacks  in  any  form,  and  many  of  our  North- 
ern varieties  are  but  little  affected.  For  this  reason  thousands 
of  vines  and  cuttings  have  been  exported,  to  be  used  as  stocks 
on  which  to  graft  foreign  kinds  that  are  more  susceptible. 
Roots  of  our  native  vines  otherwise  worthless  become  valuable 
for  the  purpose  here  indicated. 

"There  has  yet  been  discovered  but  one  remedy  for  this 
insect — drowning  out  by  irrigation." 

The  steel-blue  beetle  ( Haltica  chalybea)  causes  some  damage 
by  eating  the  buds  just  as  they  are  swelling,  making  a  hole  in 
the  bud  so  that  it  does  not  develop.  The  insect  lays  an  egg  on 
each  leaf,  and  that  produces  a  slug  which  feeds  upon  the  foli- 
age. Examine  your  vines  when  the  buds  are  swelling,  and 
warn  them  off.  They  are  not  very  numerous,  and  can  be 
quickly  seen  and  destroyed. 

Then  we  have  the  leaf-roller,  a  few  of  which  turn  up  every 
year.  They  roll  themselves  up  in  the  small,  tender  leaves  at 
the  end  of  the  growing  shoots.  Finch  off  the  end  of  the  shoots 
containing  the  small  caterpillar,  about  half  an  inch  long,  and 
rub  it  beneath  your  foot. 

The  rose-chafer,  or  rose-bug  (Melolontha  sub-spinosa),  has 


121 

been  seen  in  some  parts  of  New  Hampshire  in  small  numbers, 
and  occasionally  may  be  seen  on  the  grape-vine  when  in  flower. 
Their  visits  are  often  quite  sudden  and  informal.  Harris,  in 
his  work  entitled  "  Insects  Injurious  to  Vegetation,"  says  "  they 
are  common  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,"  and  hence  we  may  regard 
them  as  emphatically  Boston  bugs.  The  writer  also  says,  "It 
is,  or  was  a  few  years  ago,  unknown  in  the  northern  and  west- 
ern part  of  Massachusetts,  in  New  Hampshire,  and  in  Maine." 
Dr.  Harris  does  not  claim  to  be  the  author  of  this  interesting 
little  insect,  simply  its  biographer  and  natural  historian.  It 
moves  out  into  the  country  in  June,  to  avoid  the  hay  fever,  un- 
doubtedly, and,  like  other  summer  boarders,  takes  a  great  inter- 
est in  small  fruits.  Dr.  Harris  says  the  Melolontha  lives  forty 
days,  but  its  habits  of  fasting  are  not  in  the  least  like  those  of 
Dr.  Tanner. 

I  am  confident  that  those  writers  who  tell  us  that  the  rose- 
chafer  attacks  the  flower-buds  just  before  they  expand  are  mis- 
taken. I  have  never  seen  them  on  the  vine  except  when  in  full 
flower.  They  are  undoubtedly  attracted  by  the  delicate  odor  of 
the  blossom.  This  insect  does  not  trouble  flowers  that  are  des- 
titute of  fragrance.  The  fragrant  varieties  of  the  rose  may  be 
alive  with  them,  while  the  Prairies  by  their  side  will  be  unmo- 
lested. The  beetle  abandons  the  grape  as  soon  as  out  of  flower. 
I  think  a  smudge,  or  neighborhood  slander,  well  circulated  and 
supported  in  a  vineyard  during  the  flowering  season,  would 
overcome  the  odor  of  the  vine  and  repel  attacks. 

My  practice  has  been  to  jar  the  insect  into  a  shallow  basin 
having  a  small  quantity  of  kerosene  at  the  bottom.  This  must 
be  done  early  in  the  morning,  or  when  the  weather  is  very  cool. 
At  such  times  they  drop  at  the  slightest  touch,  but  in  the  mid- 
dle of  a  sunny  day  they  are  both  lively  and  shy. 

GRAFTING    THE    VINE. 

The  vine  comes  so  soon  into  bearing  from  cuttings  or  layers, 
and  young  vines  are  so  cheap,  that  grafting  on  to  large  roots  of 
inferior  varieties  is  little  practised.  Still  we  may  gain  a  point 
by  grafting  the  feeble-growing  kinds  on  to  the  roots  of  hardy, 
strong-growing,  native  vines.  The  extra  root  power  of  the 
stock  will  insure  a  more  rapid  and  healthy  growth  than  can  be 


122 

otherwise  obtained.  Grafts  will  often  make  from  ten  to  twenty 
feet  of  wood  the  first  season,  and  are  quite  likely  to  bear  the 
next  year. 

Practical  vineyardists  disagree  as  to  the  best  time  for  graft- 
ing the  vine,  but  all  agree  that  cleft-grafting  below  the  surface 
of  the  ground  is  the  most  successful  method.  Husmann,  of 
Missouri,  grafts  about  the  middle  of  March  ;  others  prefer  May, 
after  the  leaves  have  expanded.  Fuller  performs  the  operation 
in  the  fall,  covering  the  graft  with  an  inverted  flower-pot,  and 
then  with  litter,  to  prevent  freezing.  He  claims  that  the  scion 
and  stock  will  form  a  junction  during  winter,  and  will  start 
sooner  in  spring.  I  have  had  no  experience  in  grafting  the  vine. 

RINGING    THE    VINE. 

This  process  consists  merely  in  removing  a  ring  of  bark  from 
a  cane  early  in  June,  when  it  parts  readily  from  the  wood, 
below  one  or  more  branches  of  fruit.  The  effect  is  to  check  the 
return  of  sap  from  the  leaves,  and  cause  an  enlargement  of 
the  cane  and  fruit  above  the  ring,  and  hasten  maturity.  The 
clusters  will  be  so  changed  in  size  and  season  as  hardly  to  be 
recognized,  unless  the  cause  should  be  suspected.  Fruit  thus 
produced  is  always  ruled  out  on  the  exhibition  table,  and  ring- 
ing is  seldom  practised,  except  as  a  matter  of  curiosity.  It 
seems  now  to  be  admitted,  though  formerly  denied,  that  the 
quality  of  the  fruit  is  equal  to  that  grown  in  the  ordinary  way. 
A  similar  effect  may  be  produced  by  winding  the  cane  below  the 
cluster  tightly  with  a  wire  or  strong  cord,  or  even  bending  the 
vine  back  on  itself,  making  the  bow  as  short  as  we  may  without 
breaking.  The  effect  of  ringing  is  said  to  continue  for  several 
years,  causing  no  injury  to  the  vine. 

GRAPE-VINES    FROM    SEED. 

There  is  no  skill  required  in  growing  vines  from  seed,  but 
whoever  embarks  in  this  business  will  find  it  a  lottery,  where 
the  prizes  are  extremely  rare.  As  in  case  of  other  fruits,  not 
one  seedling  in  a  thousand  will  prove  superior  to  its  parent ; 
but  prizes  have  occasionally  been  drawn,  and  it  may  pay  for 
any  one  taking  an  interest  in  grapes  to  invest  a  little  time  in 
this  scheme. 

The  question  will  arise  as  to  the  best  method  to  pursue  in 


123 

growing  seedlings.  Of  course  no  sane  person  would  think  of 
sowing  the  seeds  of  our  wild  frost  and  fox  grapes,  when  we 
have  varieties  greatly  superior  from  which  seeds  may  be  ob- 
tained. The  Concord  has  produced  more  good  seedlings,  prob- 
ably, than  any  other  hardy  variety  known.  It  counts  among 
its  descendants  the  Cottage,  Worden's  Seedling,  Lady,  Moore's 
Early,  Martha,  Pocklington,  Hayes,  and  White  Ann  Arbor. 
Other  new  varieties  of  good  repute  are  the  result  of  crossing 
or  hybridizing  with  the  Concord,  namely, — Brighton  with  Diana 
Hamburgh  ;  Hiland  with  Jura  Muscat ;  Irving  with  White  Fron- 
tignan  ;  Triumph  with  a  foreign  variety  ;  Jefferson  with  lona ; 
and  the  Duchess,  a  cross  of  a  white  seedling  of  the  Concord, 
with  the  Walter ;  Monroe,  a  cross  of  Concord  and  Delaware. 
Here  we  have  a  family  of  children  of  which  any  father  or  mother 
might  well  be  proud.  Why  not  erect  a  monument  at  Concord, 
Mass.,  the  place  of  its  origin,  to  the  Concord  grape,  and  E.  W. 
Bull,  who  introduced  it? 

Dr.  Fisher,  of  Fitchburg,  in  an  address  on  Grape  Culture 
before  the  Massachusetts  Board  of  Agriculture,  says, — "I  last 
year  set  two  thousand  vines — nineteen  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  Concords,  and  twenty-five  other  varieties  for  playthings. 
If  the  Concords  were  blotted  out,  after  twenty  years'  experi- 
ence I  would  not  grow  a  grape  to  sell."  J.  F.  C.  Hyde  agreed 
with  Dr.  Fisher,  and  stated  that  he  had  never  made  a  dollar  on 
any  grape  except  the  Concord.  It  is  undoubtedly  a  grape  which, 
more  than  any  other,  adapts  itself  to  a  great  variety  of  soil,  and 
to  all  situations  and  conditions.  Notwithstanding  its  fruit 
ranks  as  only  second  or  third  rate  in  quality,  yet  it  is  more  pop- 
ular and  profitable  than  any  other  variety  grown  in  the  country. 
This  is  owing  to  the  healthy,  hardy,  and  vigorous  character  of 
the  vine,  enabling  it  to  bear  neglect,  ill  treatment,  and  no  treat- 
ment at  all,  and  still  yield  an  abundance  of  good  fruit.  It  is  a 
better  grape  for  the  table  or  for  wine  West  and  South  than  at 
home.  Worden  and  Moore's  Early  are  pressing  the  Concord  hard 
for  first  place. 

After  what  I  have  written,  I  will  only  suggest  that  in  planting 
seeds  of  the  Concord  we  may  have  a  reasonable  expectation  of 
obtaining  new  varieties  of  high  merit.  The  fruit  should  be  well 
ripened,  and  selected  from  perfectly  healthy  vines.  Crush  the 


124 

berries,  wash  out  the  seeds,  and  pack  them  away  in  damp  sand, 
in  a  cool  cellar.  Be  sure  and  guard  against  mice,  otherwise  the 
seeds  will  come  up  before  they  have  germinated.  Plant  out  the 
seed  early  in  the  spring,  in  fertile,  well  drained  soil,  sowing  in 
drills  from  one  to  two  inches  deep.  Others  prefer  to  plant  the 
grape  whole,  as  soon  as  it  is  perfectly  ripe.  Either  method  may 
be  adopted,  the  latter  requiring  the  least  trouble  and  care.  Al- 
ways select  the  best  berries  from  the  best  clusters,  and  from 
well  ripened  wood.  It  will  be  noticed  that  sometimes  a  vine 
produces  much  finer  and  earlier  fruit  than  most  others  of  its 
kind,  and  no  matter  whether  this  is  owing  to  its  locality,  better 
cultivation,  or  any  other  cause,  it  is  likely  to  transmit  its  superior 
merits  to  its  offspring. 

Give  the  young  plants  partial  shade  till  they  have  made  two 
or  three  leaves,  when  they  may  be  safely  exposed  to  the  sun. 
In  some  cases  not  more  than  half  the  seeds  will  germinate  the 
first  season.  These  are  the  strongest  growers,  but  often  prove 
sterile  and  of  no  value  ;  while  those  that  grow  the  second  year 
will  give  a  larger  percentage  of  valuable  seedlings.  For  this 
reason  it  is  advisable  to  disturb  the  seed-bed  as  little  as  possi- 
ble in  taking  up  the  vines  in  the  fall,  and  take  good  care  of  such 
as  grow  the  second  year.  If  the  ground  is  saturated  with 
water,  seedlings  may  be  pulled  up  without  using  a  fork  or  spade. 
They  require  no  tying  up  to  stakes  the  first  year,  and  only  the 
usual  cultivation  of  a  garden  crop  need  be  given. 

The  young  vines  are  likely  to  be  injured  by  the  action  of 
frost  on  the  roots  and  tops,  if  allowed  to  remain  in  the  ground 
over  the  first  winter,  and  for  this  reason  had  better  be  taken  up 
and  heeled  in,  in  a  safe  place,  where  there  is  no  danger  from 
standing  water.  The  second  spring,  shorten  the  roots  and  top 
by  a  clean  cut  of  the  pruning-knife,  and  plant  out  in  good  soil, 
two  feet  apart  in  the  rows,  with  rows  wide  enough  to  admit  a 
horse  and  cultivator.  Tie  up  to  a  stake  set  by  each  vine, — a 
lath  will  answer, — and  cultivate  as  occasion  may  require.  As 
the  vine  reaches  nearly  to  the  top  of  the  stake,  pinch  it  off.  It 
will  cause  the  cane  to  "  stock  up,"  and  the  leaves  will  thicken 
up  and  enlarge.  By  closely  observing  the  foliage  and  wood, 
you  may  judge  of  the  future  character  of  the  seedling.  Let  the 
vines  stand  exposed  during  the  second  winter,  because,  if  any 
are  likely  to  prove  tender,  the  sooner  we  know  it  the  better : 


125 

they  should  be  condemned  at  once.  Look  out  for  mildew  the 
second  year  as  well  as  the  first,  and,  unless  the  season  and  lo- 
cality are  peculiarly  unfavorable,  reject  all  those  that  show  un- 
healthy foliage. 

Cut  back  the  vines  the  following  spring  to  two  buds,  and  tie 
up  the  shoots,  as  they  grow,  to  the  stakes.  Some  of  the  strong- 
er vines  may  show  fruit,  and  a  single  cluster  may  be  permitted, 
as,  if  it  prove  worthless,  we  wish  to  spend  as  little  time  on  that 
particular  specimen  as  possible.  But  do  not  condemn  hastily, 
as  the  fruit  of  the  vine  often  improves  as  it  attains  age.  Cut 
back  one  of  the  canes  in  autumn  to  two  buds,  and  shorten  the 
other  to  three  or  four  feet,  to  be  layered  in  the  spring.  The 
object  of  layering  before  we  know  more  about  the  seedling  is  to 
obtain  vines  for  early  fruiting,  as  the  plants  from  layers  will 
often  fruit  before  the  parent  vine.  Seedlings  will  fruit  in  from 
three  to  ten  years,  and  any  that  are  slow  must  be  hurried  up. 
The  treatment  need  not  vary  much  from  year  to  year,  till  we 
learn  what  is  the  measure  of  our  success.  If  in  ten  years  we 
could  produce  a  single  vine  in  all  respects  better  than  the  Con- 
cord, our  reward  would  be  ample.  If  one  or  more  seedlings  of 
value  should  be  obtained,  the  manner  of  pruning  and  training 
them  in  the  vineyard  will  be  found  explained  on  another  page. 

CROSSING    AND    HYBRIDIZING. 

The  seedlings  above  described  are  not  what  may  properly  be 
called  chance  seedlings  ;  for  we  have  been  careful  in  selecting 
good  seed  from  a  good  variety.  But  we  may  do  better  than  this, 
there  being  a  shorter  road  to  success.  There  are  numerous 
varieties  of  marked  excellence,  now  well  known,  that  are  purely 
the  result  of  skill  in  crossing  and  hybridizing.  These  terms  are 
often  used  indiscriminately  ;  but  crossing  properly  applies  to  the 
union  of  two  varieties  of  the  same  species,  while  hybridizing  is 
the  mixture  of  two  species.  For  example,  our  native  grape 
(  Vitis  Labrusca)  and  the  foreign  grape  (  Vitis  vinifera)  are  dis- 
tinct species  ;  and  it  was  contended  till  within  a  few  years  that 
species  could  not  be  mixed.  But  there  is  no  longer  any  doubt 
of  its  entire  practicability.  Allen's  Hybrid,  Rogers'  hybrids, 
Rickett's  seedlings,  and  many  others,  are  the  results  of  success- 
ful efforts  in  this  direction.  No  one  pretends  to  doubt  that 
varieties  may  be  crossed,  and  most  of  the  so-called  chance  seed- 


126 

lings  are  the  result  of  crossing  without  our  aid.  It  is  now  well 
known  that  all  perfect  flowers  have  what  are  termed  male  and 
female  organs.  As  these  are  found  in  the  same  flower,  self- 
fertilization  is  constantly  taking  place.  But  in  crossing  we 
must  prevent  self-fertilization,  by  removing  the  male  organs  and 
impregnating  the  germ  by  a  flower  of  another  variety. 

Now  the  flower  of  the  grape  is  very  minute  ;  so  minute  that 
its  several  parts  can  hardly  be  seen  without  the  aid  of  a  micro- 
scope of  small  power.  As  this  subject  is  of  so  much  impor- 
tance and  so  exceedingly  interesting,  I  here  present  magnified 
views  of  the  grape  flower,  so  that  the  operation  of  crossing  may 
be  clearly  understood. 

In  Fig.  56,  1  represents  the  flower-bud  before  it  has  expand- 
ed, and  just  at  the  time  when  crossing  must  be  attempted  if  we 
would  be  successful.  The  calyx  (A,  1),  forming  as  it  does  a 
sort  of  cap  to  the  organs  beneath,  is  being  raised  up  by  the 
elongation  of  the  stamens  as  seen  fully  expanded  at  B,  2,  and 
is  just  ready  to  be  thrown  off,  leaving  the  pistil,  which  is  the 
large  central  organ,  exposed.  That  part  of  the  pistil  resem- 
bling a  blunt  perforated  point,  as  seen  at  2  or  3,  is  the  stigma. 
The  fine,  small  organs  projecting  from  every  side  of  the  pistil 
are  the  stamens,  and  consist  of  the  anthers  (B)  and  the  fila- 
ments (D)  by  which  they  are  supported.  The  anthers  are  filled 
with  an  exceedingly  fine  powder  called  pollen,  which  is  shaken 
out  by  every  movement  of  the  wind,  and  carried  by 
insects  from  flower  to  flower.  It  finds  its  way  to, 
and  lodges  on,  the  stigma,  which  contains  a  viscid 
substance,  by  which  the  pollen  is  made  to  adhere. 
The  pistil  contains  the  rudimentary  seeds,  and.  when 
fertilized,  enlarges  and  becomes  the  fruit. 

I  do  not  propose  to  go  at  length  into  botany,  but 
suffice  it  to  say,  that,  in  the  absence  of  pollen,  no 
such  thing  as  fertilization  could  occur,  and  no  fruit 
could  be  formed.  In  a  few  days  the  entire  flower 
would  drop  off, — "  blight,"  as  it  is  termed, — and 
the  vine  would  be  barren.  The  pistil  is  fertilized 
by  the  pollen  from  the  anthers  (B)  through  the 
stigma  (3).  Now  if  the  anthers  are  removed  as  at 
(D),  no  fruit  would  form  for  want  of  fertilization, 


127 

unless  pollen  was  received  from  some  other  flower.  This  might 
occur,  as  insects  are  constantly  flitting  from  flower  to  flower 
with  their  downy  coats  covered  with  pollen,  and,  as  it  is  very 
subtile,  the  air  is  filled  with  it  when  the  vine  is  in  flower.  Cross- 
ing is  constantly  taking  place  in  fruits,  flowers,  and  vines,  when 
two  or  more  varieties  are  in  blossom  at  the  same  time.  The  ef- 
fect is  not  manifest  in  the  fruit  the  same  year,  but  only  when 
we  plant  the  seed  and  grow  fruit  therefrom. 

Now,  unfortunately,  we  have  no  perfect  fruits  or  flowers. 
Some  are  very  near  perfection  in  one  or  two  particulars,  but 
fail  to  fill  the  bill  in  others.  We  find  another  variety  that  ex- 
cels, and  fails  in  just  the  opposite  requisites.  If  we  can  but 
unite  the  surpassing  excellence  of  both  in  one  variety,  we  shall 
have  arrived  almost  at  the  end  of  our  journey.  We  want  a 
grape  as  large  in  bunch  and  berry  as  the  Black  Hamburg ;  as 
hardy,  healthy,  and  productive  as  the  Concord  ;  at  least  two 
weeks  earlier  than  the  Hartford  Prolific  ;  that  will  bear  handling 
as  well  and  keep  as  long  as  the  Diana ;  and  in  quality,  equal  to 
the  Delaware  in  its  best  condition.  This  would  not  give  us  a 
perfect  grape  ;  but  to  enumerate  other  requisites  might  tend  to 
discourage  all  efforts  for  improvement. 

If  the  ideal  grape  is  ever  produced,  it  is  likely  to  be  by  cross- 
ing or  hybridizing  varieties  and  species  having  the  characteris- 
tics that  we  wish  to  combine.  The  desired  result  may  be  at- 
tained when  least  expected.  But,  while  in  crossing  we  may  hope 
to  unite  the  best  qualities  of  two  varieties,  it  may  happen  that 
we  get  only  the  faults  of  both  ;  yet  our  chances  of  success  are 
enhanced  by  breeding  from  ancestry  having  the  best  blood. 

The  question,  How  shall  we  proceed  in  crossing  so  as  to  ob- 
tain a  new  variety  having  the  characteristics  of  both  parents? 
has  already  been  hinted  at,  but  may  require  a  more  minute  ex- 
planation. The  cut  (2,  Fig.  56)  shows  a  perfect  flower  after 
the  calyx  has  been  removed.  The  pollen  from  stamens  sur- 
rounding the  pistil  will  be  sure,  under  favorable  conditions,  to 
fall  upon  the  stigma,  when  fertilization  will  occur.  We  say  that 
such  a  flower  is  self-fertilized  ;  but,  if  we  remove  the  calyx  as 
soon  as  it  can  be  done,  before  the  flower  expands,  and  clip  off 
the  anthers  with  pointed  scissors,  as  shown  at  Z),  Fig.  56, 
self-fertilization  cannot  occur.  Then  gather  the  pollen  from 


128 

some  other  variety  on  a  small  camel's-hair  brush  and  apply  it 
to  the  stigma  of  the  flower  to  be  fertilized.  If  the  pollen  and 
the  stigma  are  in  the  right  condition,  we  are  reasonably  certain 
of  success,  and  this  will  be  indicated  in  a  few  days  by  the  swell- 
ing of  the  fertilized  berry.  It  may  happen,  that,  owing  to  differ- 
ence of  a  few  days  in  the  time  of  flowering,  the  pollen  may  be 
in  its  best  condition  before  the  variety  to  receive  it  is  sufficiently 
advanced.  In  this  case  we  have  only  to  collect  and  "  bottle 
up "  the  pollen,  as  a  physician  treats  his  vaccine  matter,  till 
wanted  for  use.  It  may,  in  this  way,  be  preserved  for  many 
days,  and  sent  long  distances — perhaps  around  the  world — by 
mail.  It  may,  at  no  distant  day,  become  an  article  of  com- 
merce, along  with  Irish  potatoes,  or  oleomargarine  and  other 
soap-grease.  To  make  sure  that  the  prepared  flower  is  not  fer- 
tilized by  insects,  or  pollen  floating  in  the  air,  it  should  be  cov- 
ered with  gauze  or  oiled  silk  for  a  few  days,  both  before  and 
after  the  pollen  is  applied. 

Of  course,  no  one  will  confine  his  efforts  to  a  single  cluster, 
or  a  single  cross  ;  but  the  bunches  should  be  carefully  labelled, 
and  a  record  kept  for  future  reference.  The  seeds  or  berries 
are  to  be  preserved  and  planted,  and  the  seedling  vines  treated 
and  trained  according  to  the  directions  before  given.  It  will  be 
found  in  plant  as  in  animal  life,  that  the  offspring  resulting 
from  a  cross  will  in  some  instances  resemble  one  parent  more 
than  the  other,  that  having  the  strongest  blood,  or  a  character 
more  firmly  fixed,  prevailing.  Here  we  have  the  doctrine  of 
prepotency  in  vegetable  life. 

It  is  well  known  that  the  foreign  grape  (  Vitis  vinifera),  while 
it  is  of  superior  quality,  cannot  endure  exposure  in  our  climate. 
Our  native  vine  (Vitis  Labrusca)  is  as  hardy  as  an  oak,  sour, 
pulpy,  and  foxy  to  the  last  degree.  To  unite  the  hardiness  of 
our  native  grape  with  the  almost  perfect  quality  of  the  foreign 
species  is  what  Mr.  Rogers  and  others  have  attempted  ;  and  the 
numerous  seedlings  they  have  given  us,  which  are  almost  if  not 
quite  equal  to  the  best  foreign  varieties,  attest  their  wonderful 
success. 

In  1852  the  American  Pomological  Society  only  recommended 
two  varieties  of  grapes — the  Catawba  and  the  Isabella — for  gen- 
eral cultivation  ;  and  in  1858,  three  others — the  Diana,  Concord, 


129 

and  Delaware — were  added.  Now,  purchasers  are  confused  by 
the  long  lists  in  the  catalogues  from  which  to  select.  This 
shows  what  science  and  skilful  practice,  when  working  in  har- 
mony, accomplish. 

GATHERING    AND    KEEPING    GRAPES. 

The  grape  is  not,  like  most  of  the  small  fruits,  a  luxury  that 
can  be  enjoyed  only  for  a  few  days.  However  early  it  may 
ripen,  it  will  improve  by  hanging  on  the  vine  till  there  is  danger 
of  severe  frosts.  It  will  not  improve  after  being  gathered. 
Some  varieties  keep  for  months,  retaining  their  flavor  to  the  last, 
while  others  become  insipid  in  a  short  time  ;  a  few  dry  into  a 
raisin. 

The  grape  should  be  gathered  when  in  its  best  condition,  on 
a  perfectly  dry  day,  and  handled  with  the  utmost  care.  Look 
over  each  bunch,  and  remove  all  unsound  and  imperfect  berries. 
Pack  in  clean  boxes,  in  layers,  between  sheets  of  cotton  batting, 
and  store  in  a  cool  room  or  dry  cellar.  The  Diana  is  one  of  the 
best  keepers,  while  the  Concord  and  its  seedlings  soon  become 
worthless.  This  is  undoubtedly  owing  to  their  thin,  tender  skin, 
that  is  easily  ruptured  in  handling.  Some  pack  in  leaves,  and 
others  in  dry  hard  wood  saw-dust.  Avoid  any  substance  that 
will  impart  an  unpleasant  flavor  to  the  fruit. 

A    FEW    LAST    WORDS. 

I  wish  to  impress  upon  the  mind  of  whoever  may  take  the 
trouble  to  read  what  is  here  written,  some  of  the  most  important 
conditions  in  successful  grape-culture  in  our  northern  latitude. 

Never  set  a  vineyard  except  with  hardy  varieties,  such  as  will 
endure  the  extreme  changes  of  our  climate  in  winter  on  the  stake 
or  trellis,  without  protection. 

Plant  out  only  the  best  vines,  not  more  than  two  years  old, 
grown  from  well  ripened  wood,  of  vigorous  and  healthy  parents. 

Select  rather  light  but  warm  soil,  naturally  or  artificially 
drained,  having  an  inclination  to  the  south,  southwest,  or  south- 
east. Avoid  heavy  clay  or  muck  on  the  one  hand,  and  a  hungry 
sand  on  the  other. 

Plow  not  more  than  one  foot  deep,  and  never  turn  the  sub-soil 

to  the  surface. 
9 


130 

Manure  with  fine  old  compost,  as  for  a  good  crop  of  corn, — 
say  ten  cords  to  the  acre.  This  preparation  may  be  followed  by 
mineral  manures — ashes,  ground  bone,  and  gypsum — once  in 
two  or  three  years. 

The  Delaware  and  other  slow  growers  will  endure  and  require 
higher  fertilization. 

High  manuring  with  rank  nitrogenous  manures  causes  a  lux- 
uriant growth  of  immature,  spongy  wood,  in  no  condition  to 
withstand  disease  and  exposure,  or  to  produce  the  best  results 
in  fruit.  You  want  fruit,  not  barren  canes. 

Never  select  a  spot  for  a  vine  where  the  soil  or  the  foliage 
will  be  shaded.  What  is  wanted  is  heat,  especially  at  the  root. 
Ten  degrees  of  heat  will  hasten  maturity  at  least  ten  days. 

Plant  in  situations  protected  by  buildings,  belts  of  evergreen 
trees,  hedges,  or  high  fences,  when  practicable.  These  will 
break  the  sweep  of  violent  winds,  that  would  otherwise  drive  off 
the  heat  so  important  to  the  vine.  A  hill-side  is  preferable  to  a 
valley. 

Heavy,  wet  soil  is  to  be  avoided,  as  the  temperature  will  be 
reduced  by  constant  evaporation.  The  vine  seldom  fails  for 
want  of  moisture. 

Do  not  plant  too  many  kinds  for  the  market ;  but  for  the  gar- 
den, let  the  varieties  be  such  as  to  suit  all  tastes,  and  the  quan- 
tity abundant. 

Be  cautious  how  you  invest  largely  in  new,  high-priced  varie- 
ties. Wait  a  little,  and  such  vines  will  be  as  cheap  as  any,  and 
you  are  not  likely  to  want  them  at  any  price.  They  will  have 
proved  their  entire  worthlessness,  or  that  they  are  no  better  than 
the  old  standard  kinds. 

Never  divest  a  vine  of  its  leaves  to  let  in  the  sun,  thinking 
thereby  to  hasten  ripening.  The  exposure  of  the  fruit  to  our 
hot  suns  by  day,  and  cold  winds  and  foggy  air  at  night,  will  re- 
sult in  mildew  and  all  manner  of  mischief.  The  foliage  affords 
a  natural  shade  and  protection  to  the  fruit ;  and  the  more  luxu- 
riant the  foliage,  other  conditions  being  equal,  the  larger  the 
fruit  and  the  richer  the  flavor. 


INDEX. 


BLACKBEKRY 72 

Cultivation  of 72 

Descriptive  list  of 73 

Diseases  of 74 

Distance  of  plants 72 

Hardy  varieties 72 

Mulching 67 

Picking  the  fruit 72 

Pinching  back 72 

Red  or  Orange  rust 74 

Remedies  for  rust 74 

Training 72 

Varieties  of 73 

Bonanza 7-'5 

Brunton's  Early 73 

Dorchester 73 

Early  Harvest , 73 

Kittatiuny 73 

Lawton 74 

Missouri  Mammoth 73 

New  Rochelle 74 

Snyder ' 73 

Stayman's  Early 74 

Stone's  Hardy 74 

Taylor's  Prolific 73 

Wachusett 73 

Western  Triumph 73 

Wilson's  Early 74 

Wilson  Junior 74 

CRANBERRY.  84 

( 'oloring  and  cleaning .  90 

Cost  of  a  bog 89 

Cultivation  of 88 

Distance  for  setting 88 

Ditches  and  dikes 85 

Duration  of  meadows 84 

Flooding  bogs 85 

Insect  enemies 87 

Picking  the  fruit 89 

Preparing  the  bog 85 

Profits  of  the  crops 89 

Sand,  importance  of 86 

Selecting  th-^  plot 85 

Selecting  plants 87 

Setting  the  plants 88 

The  fruit-worm 87 

The  vine-worm 87 

Upland  culture 85 

Varieties  of 87 

American  varieties 88 

Bell Kf 

Bugle 87 

Cape  Cod 88 

Cherry 87 


132  INDEX. 

CURRAXT 76 

Cultivati-n  of 77 

Insect  enemies 78 

Mulching 77 

Propagation  by  seeds 82 

Propagation  by  cuttings 77 

Pruning  and  training 78 

Shade  for 78 

Soil  for 76 

Transplanting 81 

Varieties 80 

Belgian 81 

Black  Naples 81 

Cherry 80 

Dana's  Transparent 80 

Fay's  Prolific 81 

Lee's  Prolific 81 

Red  Dutch 80 

Versailles 80 

White  Dutch 80 

White  Grape 80 

GOOSEBERRY 82 

Cultivation  of. 83 

Close  pruning 84 

Distance  for  planting 84 

Grow  in  the  shade 83 

High  manuring 83 

M  ild.-w  of. 83 

Propagation  of 82 

Native  varieties 83 

Downing. 83 

Houghton 83 

Mountain e3 

Orange 83 

Pal  e  Red 83 

Smith's.. 83 

English  varieties 84 

Crown  Bob 84 

Glenton  Green 84 

Roaring  Lion 83 

Wellington's  Glory 84 

Whitesmith 84 

Yellow  Amber 84 

GRAPE 93 

At  the  North 93 

A  few  last  words 129 

Bagging  the  fruit 118 

Bleeding  of  vines 106 

Bone  and  ashes  for 107 

Climate  for 117 

Compost  for 107 

Concord  for  market 123 

Cropping 109 

Crossing  varieties 125 

Cultivation  of 108 

Cuttings 96 

Descriptive  li«t Ill 

Diseases  of....                          116 


INDEX.  133 

GRAPE— 

Distance  to  plant 104 

Exposure 93 

Foreign  vines 116 

Fungus,  how  spread 118 

"        protection  from 118 

"        sulphur  for 116 

Gathering  and  keeping 129 

Grafting  the  vine 121 

Growing  seedlings 122 

"        in  waste  places 94 

Heeling  in 98 

Hybridizing 1-.5 

Insects 119 

"     Leaf-roller 120 

"     Phylloxera 119 

"     Rose-chafer 120 

"     Steel-blue  beetle 120 

'  •     remedies 120 

Layering  the  vine 97 

Manures  for 107 

Mildew 116 

Northern  limit  of 93 

New  from  seeds 122 

Over-cropping 109 

On  fences  and  ledges 94 

Pinching  in 97 

Plauting  cuttings 97 

Propagation 96 

"  from  seeds 122 

"  by  buds 95 

"  by  cuttings 96 

"  by  layers 97 

Pruning,  time  for 1 06 

' '          and  training 1 00 

Ringing  the  vine 122 

Rot  and  mildew 116 

Selection  of  varieties 110 

Seedlings  of  Concord 123 

Soil  for 93 

Starting  under  glass 95 

Sulphur  for  mildew 116 

The  ideal  grape 127 

Thinning  fruit 09 

Tools  required (8 

Training  and  pruning .100 

Transplanting 98 

Tying  to  stakes 97 

Trenching 94 

Trellises It  3 

"     and  stakes 106 

Vines  from  a  distance 98 

Winter  protection 105 

DESCRIPTIVE  LIST,  111 

Adirondac Ill 

Agawam Ill 

Allen's  Hybrid Ill 

Barry Ill 

9* 


136  INDEX. 

RASPBERRY— 

Hiland  Hardy 71 

Hopkins 71 

Hornet 71 

Hudson  River  Antwerp 71 

Imperhd  Red 71 

Kenevett 71 

Lost  Rubies 71 

Marlboro 69 

McCormick 70 

Miami 71 

Miller's  Woodland 71 

Nemaha 71 

Ohio 70 

Ohio  Everbearing 72 

Orange  (Brinckle's) 72 

Philadelphia 72 

Pride  of  the  Hudson 72 

Purple  Cane 72 

Raiicocas 69 

Reliance 69 

Shaffer's  Colossal 71 

Smith's 72 

Souhegan 71 

Superb 70 

Thwack 72 

Turner 70 

Tyler 72 

Wilson's  Early 74 

Wilson  Junior 74 

STRAWBE  RRY 7 

Advice  to  the  novice 10 

Adaptation  of  soil 24 

Adaptation  of  varieties 24 

Crossing  arid  hybridizing 32 

Crossing,  method  of 35 

Crates  and  baskets 50 

Cultivatio  n 38 

Cutting  runners 38 

Drainage 14 

Distance  for  plants 22 

Directions  for  planting 19 

Early  and  late  flowering 43 

Exhibition  fruit 46 

Fertilizers 15 

Field  notes 43 

Growing  in  hills 22 

"         in  matted  rows 21 

"        in  beds 22 

Hastening  maturity 46 

Insect  enemies 40 

Imperfect  flowers 32 

Leaf-roller 41 

Manure 15 

Mistakes  in  planting 21 

Mulching 39 

New  varieties  from  seed .  30 


INDEX.  137 

STRAWBERRY- 

Ordering  new  varieties 25 

Over-praised  fruits 27 

Packing  fruit 50 

Picking  and  pickers 48 

Packing  plants 37 

Plants  by  mail 37 

Plants  from  a  distance 36 

Protecting  from  frosts 42 

Planting  for  home  use 47 

Planting  on  sod 14 

Perfect  flowers 32 

Potted  plants.  18 

Preparation  of  soil 12 

Rapid  propagation 29 

Retarding  maturity 46 

Kunner  plants 20 

Sexuality  of  flowers 32 

Size  of  berries 45 

Season  for  setting 16 

Shipping  plants 37 

Substitutions 26 

Table  of  distances 23 

Treatment  of  seedlings 31 

What  to  plant 23 

White  grub 40 

Winter  protection 39 

Varieties,  list  of. 53 

Atlantic 53 

Bid  well 53 

Boyden  No.  30.   53 

Captain  Jack 54 

Champion 54 

Charles  Downing 54 

Crescent 54 

Cumberland 54 

Downer's  Prolific 55 

Dutchess 55 

Glendale 55 

Great  American 55 

Hervey  Davis 55 

Hovey 55 

James  Vick 55 

Jersey  Queen 56 

Kentucky 56 

Manchester 56 

Miner's  Prolific 56 

Monarch 56 

Mount  Vernon 56 

Mrs.  Garfield 56 

Pioneer 57 

Prouty 57 

Sharpless 57 

Triomph  de  Gand 57 

Wilder 57 

Wilson 57 

List  for  trial 58 


138  INDEX. 

STRAWBERRY- 

Black  Defiance 58 

Col.  Cheney 58 

Crystal  City 58 

Daniel  Boon 58 

Duncan 58 

Finch 58 

Forest  Rose 58 

Green  Prolific 58 

Golden  Defiance 58 

Jumbo 58 

Jucunda 58 

Longfellow 58 

Park  Beauty 58 

Old  Iron  Clad 58 

Piper's  Seedling 58 

Primo 58 

Ray's  Prolific 58 

Russell's  Advance 58 

Seneca  Queen  58 

Shirts 58 

Triple  Crown 58 

Warren 58 


STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


,'J    U 

DUE  SEP    3  1971 

AUG23REC'D 

UCD  LIBRARY 

DUE  JAN  11 

JAN  12 


NOV24  1980  RE 


LIBRARY,  COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE,  DAVIS 
UNIVERSITY  OP  CALIFORNIA 

Book  Slip-10m-9,'46(A302s4)458 


Small  frulits. 

; 

. 

—  — 

—  —  — 

H* 


